


Infernal Medicine

by faithharkness



Category: Dredd (2012), Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben-Ren has a potty mouth, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Gingerpilot, Hux is bad at flirting, M/M, Oral Sex, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Poe is not, Snark, gratuitous use of "fuck", mentions of seriously injured children, referenced child death (not BB)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-15 17:43:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7232359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faithharkness/pseuds/faithharkness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Hux has always wanted to be a mechanic.  He compromised (with his father's wishes) and became a surgeon.  Poe Dameron just wants to run his garage, raise his son, and have a happy life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Incoming

**Author's Note:**

> First time stepping into this pairing, so please be gentle. I've had the first two chapters of this sitting on my laptop for weeks and decided to finally just do it.

The emergency room was a chaotic place. It made Hux’s teeth itch. He didn’t know how anyone hoped to do any good—to save _any_ lives—if they couldn’t contain the chaos. How could they function? Granted, Hux was rarely in The Pit; his skills as a cardiovascular surgeon brought people to him—he didn’t have to troll for cases like a hungry intern anymore.

But the bus crash meant the chief of surgery—Dr. Leia Organa (or it might be Dr. Organa-Solo again; he wasn’t sure)—had demanded all hands on deck. And Dr. Konstantin Hux was nothing if not a team player.

When it suited him.

“Where in the bloody blue hells have you been?” Dr. Penelope Phasma said as he joined her beside a gurney.

Hux looped the stethoscope from around his neck and listened to the heart of the man Phasma was treating.

“I was cleaning up from a valve replacement when Dr. Organa sent out the call. I planned to go to my lab, but here I am,” he said.

Phasma smirked. “Don’t be an ass. You love a good, screaming trauma as much as the rest of us.”

Hux raised an eyebrow at her.

“Fine, you love bringing order to the chaos of a good, screaming trauma.”

“It is something I’m known for.” He listened to the patient’s chest for a moment before stepping back slightly. “His chest is clear; he’s all yours. Mitaka said there was a consult?”

Phasma nodded behind her. “They have him in Trauma One.”

“Who’s running it?”

She gave him a grin that would have sent an intern scurrying away in fear. “Antilles.”

“I will give you a thousand dollars to deal with him.”

“ _I_ am not a cardiovascular savant,” she said, snapping the patient’s shoulder back into its socket. She sighed when it popped back out.

“I prefer ‘genius’, Phasma. ‘Savant’ indicates that there is an ‘idiot’ forthcoming,” he said, putting his stethoscope back round his neck.

“You said it, not me. Mitaka!” she shouted.

Dr. Mitaka, one of their residents, hurried over to her. “I’m on Dr. Hux’s service,” he said.

“And Dr. Hux is about to go into a trauma room with Dr. Antilles. I’m sure you’d rather come up and help me surgically fix this man’s shoulder. Dr. Hux?” she asked, turning her gaze on him.

Hux rolled his eyes. “Yes, fine.” He waved a hand at Mitaka. “Go be a carpenter for a few hours. I’ll deal with Antilles on my own.”

Mitaka nodded and helped Phasma wheel the gurney toward the elevator. Phasma elbowed Hux hard in the ribs as she passed him.

Hux began making his way to Trauma One, not wanting to give Antilles any ammunition against him. Dr. Kein Antilles may have been a decorated war vet and brilliant trauma surgeon, but there was something about him that made Hux want to punch him in the throat. It was probably the fact that the man flirted with nearly everything that moved.

Hux’s line of thought derailed as someone slammed into him.

“Jesus!” Hux exclaimed, automatically reaching out to catch the man. He figured one of the patients who had been stubborn about sitting down had finally lost their battle with gravity; it would not have been the first time.

“Oh, man, I am so sorry. I was looking for—”

“Are you injured?” Hux asked, his eyes quickly assessing the man. He was breathing quickly, but didn’t have any obvious injury.

He ran a hand through his unruly curls. “No, sorry. I lost hold of my son, he’s—”

“You brought a _child_ into this?” Hux asked, waving at the chaos surrounding him.

“We followed the ambulance. I helped get some people out of a car—”

“Are you a paramedic?”

“No. I’m a mechanic. I’m Poe—”

“If you’re not a medical professional, what the _hell_ were you doing removing someone from the scene of an accident?”

Poe folded his arms over his chest. “Are you going to let me finish my sentence this time?” he asked.

Hux snorted. “Let’s just hope you haven’t done more harm than good.”

“Papa!”

Hux startled as a small child crashed into Poe’s legs.

“I losted you!” the child said, smiling up at Poe.

Poe lifted the boy to his hip, hugging him tightly. “Buddy, you cannot go haring off like that.”

The little boy’s lip quivered. “I didn’ wanna leave Misha.”

“Misha is getting help from some very skilled doctors, I am sure,” Poe said. “Isn’t that right, Doctor…?”

“Hux.” He made an effort to soften his face for the boy. “I’m sure he’s in good hands. The waiting room is that way,” he said, pointing. 

Poe stared at him.

Hux sighed. “You are in the way, standing in the middle of everything. Can’t you see that?”

“Rude,” the boy said.

Poe looked around at the bloody, shouting chaos. “He has a point, buddy. Let’s go find a seat.”

“Someone will come find you if you leave your name at the nurse’s station,” Hux said.

“Thanks,” Poe said shortly, carrying his son away.

“Are you waiting for a damned written invitation, Hux?” Kein Antilles shouted from Trauma One.

“Bugger,” Hux muttered, hurrying to join him.

“Sorry to interrupt your flirting, but I think this man’s dissecting,” Kein snarked as Hux joined him.

“Ultrasound,” Hux snapped at an intern. 

The equipment was handed over and Hux looked at the readout.

“Antilles,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“We need to run.”

“Move it! Call up and get me an OR, I don’t care who you have to kick out!” Antilles shouted to his intern, putting up the side of the gurney.

Hux did the same, and the two men took off running with the gurney for the elevator.  
*****

“I hear you and Antilles caught an aortic dissection,” Phasma said, plopping into a chair beside Hux in the gallery.

“I did all the heavy lifting,” Hux replied, not tearing his gaze away from the surgery going on below.

“But Antilles found it.”

Hux rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, even _he_ can be right some of the time.”

“And I hear that you were flirting in The Pit.”

“It’s a wonder you get any work done, with all the time you spend _hearing_ things.”

“Is this the last one?” Phasma asked, nodding at the surgery.

Hux nodded. “Organa has to remove most of his bowel, but he should live.”

“Did we lose anyone?”

“Thanisson’s got a TBI in the neuro ICU that’s touch and go, but that’s the worst of it for us. I think I heard one of the paramedics say there were fatalities at the scene, but everyone we put hands on lived,” he replied.

“That’s cause for a celebration, then. Meet you at The Elbow?”

Hux turned to glare at his friend. “Must we?”

Phasma nodded solemnly. “We must. I promised Ren.”

“I don’t see why we have to drink there just because his wife owns the place. And who names their bar ‘The Devil’s Elbow’?”

“Come on,” she goaded, elbowing him in the side. “Your father never would have set foot in there.”

“Contrary to popular belief, my relationship with my father doesn’t dictate every decision I make.”

“Clearly,” Phasma said, tugging on his neatly-trimmed beard.

He swatted her hand away. “I only have the beard because it makes me look older and more distinguished.”

“Lies. If you’re not there within the hour, I’m sending Mitaka after you,” she said, standing.

“Mitaka is keeping an eye on my post-ops.”

“Which of us do you think he’s more afraid of?”

Hux sighed. Mitaka was on his service, was probably going to declare for cardio, and had a healthy fear of Hux. The younger doctor _also_ had a fierce crush on Phasma, and Hux and Phasma both knew it.

“I’ll see you once I’ve cleaned up,” he agreed.


	2. Post-Op

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Poe have different reactions to their meeting. Their friends are equally sympathetic.

“Huxy!”

Hux groaned. He had barely made it ten feet into the bar. 

“How many times do I have to remind you that is _not_ my name?” Hux growled as Dr. Kylo Ren descended upon him. 

“Clearly, at least one more time. Come play darts!”

“I’m here for a drink; and only because Phasma demanded it.”

Ren rolled his eyes. “You really should see someone on staff about that stick jammed up your ass.”

Hux glared at him before sauntering to the bar. He gave the dark-eyed woman behind the bar a smile as she set a tumbler of neat whiskey in front of him.

“I can’t believe we allow him around sick children,” he said to her.

Jessika Pava snorted. “Most days, I can’t believe we allow him around _people_.”

“And yet you married him.”

“Twice,” she said, nodding.

Hux allowed himself a small smile as he took a sip of his drink. Kylo Ren had been born Ben Organa-Solo, but had changed his name when he entered medical school. He had wanted to get into a good residency program without resting on the laurels of his last name. Once he had achieved his goal, he re-married Jessika in a quiet ceremony with his new name. She still called him Ben.

The irony was that Hux’s father, Dr. Brendol Hux, had hired Kylo because he knew exactly who Kylo’s mother was, and he wanted to spite her. Medicine was a family tradition for both the Huxes and the Organas; they just went about it in very different ways. Leia Organa had wanted her son to go into medicine only if he was truly passionate about it; Ren had chosen pediatric surgery. Hux’s father had wanted him to follow in his footsteps as a neurosurgeon; Hux had wanted to be a mechanic. They compromised, in that Hux became a doctor, but not a neurosurgeon. 

Hux believed there was too much guesswork in neurosurgery; too much wait-and-see. He needed to be able to put his hands on the problem; needed to wrap his fingers around it and fix it. He had wanted to be a general surgeon, but his father insisted that if Hux wouldn’t do—couldn’t _hack_ —neurosurgery, then cardiovascular was the only acceptable specialty. Hux had had a natural talent for surgery, but he had had to fight tooth and nail for acceptance into First Order Memorial’s residency program; Dr. Hux, Sr., wouldn’t allow even the rumor of nepotism.

“Phasma says you made friends with a handsome stranger today,” Jess said, interrupting his thoughts.

Hux grunted, finishing his drink in one swallow. He slid the glass back to her in a silent request for a refill.

“Well?” she asked.

“I was run into by an idiot who removed an injured person from a vehicle without having any medical training, and then proceeded to lose his small child in an emergency room,” he replied.

Jess rolled her eyes and refilled his drink. “I’ll say this for you, Hux, you’re a real charmer.”

“If you keep insulting your patrons, how do you intend to keep this place open?”

“I’m across the street from a hospital; I think I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go play darts with my husband before he decides to start singing?”

Hux sighed. “Fine. But you’ll be the one who has to deal with his whining when he loses.”

She winked at him. “Oh, I’m sure I can find a way to comfort him.”

“Urgh,” Hux said, collecting his glass and heading to where Phasma and Ren were hogging one of the dartboards.  
*****

“He was a giant ass! Which is funny, considering he didn’t seem to have much of one!” Poe exclaimed as loudly as he could without waking his son, who was tucked in bed down the hall.

“So you _did_ check out his ass,” Finn said, looking up from the sink.

“Of course he checked out his ass. Have you _met_ Poe?” Rey asked from her seat at the kitchen table. She had a large textbook and a notebook open in front of her.

“I hate you both. You are terrible people,” Poe said, sitting next to Rey.

“And yet you named us your child’s godparents,” Finn said.

Poe groaned.

“Question,” Rey said.

“What?” Poe asked, rubbing his forehead, knowing he would regret it.

“How could you get a good look at his ass if he was in a lab coat?”

“He wasn’t in a lab coat. He was in a pair of dark grey scrubs that really brought out his eyes and _why_ am I still talking to the two of you?”

“She has a deceptively innocent smile,” Finn said, as he sat across from them.

“That’s it; pack your things. The two of you are moving out,” Poe said, burying his face in his hands.

“Okay, but then you’ll have to start paying for a babysitter,” Rey replied.

“It would literally take one phone call to have my dad here,” Poe said, his voice muffled.

“Move your hands so we can hear you; we have manners in this house,” Finn said, opening up a planner.

Poe lifted his head and glared at his adopted brother. “Sometimes, I _really_ hate that you’re a teacher.”

“And yet, his techniques work on you and his five-year-old charges equally well,” Rey commented.

“I can hire a different mechanic for the shop, you know,” Poe threatened without any real malice.

“You _could_ , but not one with as much scheduling flexibility as I have.”

“Besides, if she leaves you, she may take up with one of those racing crews,” Finn said.

“Because I have time for that between the garage, my classes, and watching Brendan,” Rey replied, rolling her eyes.

Poe bopped her on the tip of her nose. “No racing.”

“I know,” she said.

“Good.”

“I take it that Misha’s going to be okay, then?” Finn asked.

Poe ruffled Rey’s hair before turning his attention to Finn. “Yes, thank goodness. His doctor says he should be home tomorrow afternoon. They wanted to keep him overnight for observation.”

“Do you need me to watch BB tomorrow, then? I take it Misha’s mom won’t be able to,” Rey asked.

“Dammit. I hadn’t even thought of that. What’s your schedule tomorrow?”

“I have class at 1:00, but my morning’s free.”

“I only have a few morning appointments. I’ll come get BB from you and take him to see Misha for a bit.”

“I’ll be done at school by three if plans change and you need me to get BB,” Finn said.

“That’ll work,” Poe said, standing and stretching. He groaned as his shoulders popped. He had really given himself a workout earlier, helping out at the accident scent. He bent to give Rey a kiss on the forehead before rounding the table and doing the same for Finn.

“And Poe?” Finn said, catching Poe’s hand before the other man could leave the room.

“Yeah?”

“No more running into accident scenes. We know you want to help, but you’re all we have.”

Poe squeezed Finn’s hand. “I’ll do my best.”

Rey watched Poe walk down the hall to his room. “He’s not going to be able to keep that promise.”

Finn sighed. “I know.”

“Still, at least it wasn’t a burning building. We can take comfort in that, right?” 

“One of these days, that optimistic streak of yours is going to get us into trouble.”

Rey threw a pencil at him.  
*****

“My husband is dancing,” Jess said, hands on her hips.

Hux turned to look at her. “If you can call it that. It looks more like controlled flailing.”

“I thought I asked you to keep him from dancing.”

“No. You told me to play darts with him before he started _singing_. He is not singing, he is flailing about wildly to the music. He’s not even up on a table, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.”

Jess narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, I guess that answers the question of if you’ve had too much to drink. You can’t use logic that well when you’re drunk.”

Hux scoffed. “How would you know?”

“It’s what I do: I pour drinks and I learn things. You’d be amazed about the things I know about that hospital.”

“I somehow don’t think I would be,” Hux muttered, lifting his glass to his lips.

“Seeing as you’re so clear headed, do you think you could help me wrangle Ben into the car?”

“I haven’t had nearly enough to drink for _that_.”

Jess gently swatted the back of his head. “Come on, be a champ. I’ll give you a lift home if you’d like.”

Hux shook his head. “I’ll get a ride with Phasma. She’s on call, so she hasn’t been drinking. And she won’t sing the wrong words along with the radio.”

“She will if I pay her enough.”

Hux laughed before polishing off his drink. “What did I ever do to get myself saddled with you lot as friends?”

“Dunno. But it must have been something pretty terrible.”

Hux rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll get him out to the car, but you and Phasma have to put him in it. Ren’s a handsy drunk.”  
*****

“I realize your place isn’t out of my way per se, but I resent being your driver without actually being _asked_ ,” Phasma said as she pulled up in front of Hux’s townhouse.

“Just consider it payment on the debt you owe me for the last fundraising ball. I could have left you alone with Snoke,” Hux replied, collecting his things from the back seat.

“That wasn’t doing me a favor; that was being a decent human being. _No one_ should be left alone with Professor Snoke.”

“Shall I expect you to come get me in the morning?”

Phasma sighed. “Fine. But you’d better bring coffee down with you, or I’m singing along with the radio. Heavy metal. I will make no apologies.”

“Drive safely, Phasma,” Hux said, laughing as he closed the car door.

Phasma flipped him off before pulling away from the curb.

Hux carefully navigated the steps to up to his door. He wasn’t that intoxicated and there weren’t that many stairs, but he would be damned if he’d show up for work the next day with bruises from tripping. He’d never live it down.

He made it safely inside his house, but was distracted from this triumph by having to catch himself on the table inside the door as his cat made her presence known.

“Jesus, Millicent, how many times must we have this conversation?” he asked as he straightened himself.

Millicent meowed at him and continued to wend her way between and around his feet.

Hux sighed, locking the door behind him and tossing his keys in the bowl on the table. He set his bag beside the bowl before he bent to pick Millicent up, scratching her behind the ears.

“If you kill Daddy before he gets to the kitchen, he can’t feed you.”

Millicent put her paw against his mouth.

“Yes, I know, I’m late. It’s all Phasma’s fault,” he told her. He made his way to the kitchen, where he set Millicent down while he got her food out. She waited patiently by her bowl, headbutting his hand out of the way as soon as her food touched the bowl.

“I love you, too, Millicent,” Hux huffed. He poured himself a glass of water and drank it down before leaving the kitchen.

He double checked all the doors and windows were locked before making his way up to the bedroom to change out of his clothes. It had been a long day, and tomorrow he had a morning booked in the lab, plus a stent procedure in the afternoon. And that’s _if_ there wasn’t another emergency like today’s bus accident.

Hux’s thoughts wandered to the man in the emergency room. _Poe_ , Hux thought as the man’s dark eyes and wild curls came back to him. Now that he wasn’t in a rush, he had to admit the man had been _quite_ attractive. He laughed at himself as he stripped down to his shorts; fantasizing about a patient was the oldest cliché in the book—and could cost him his job.

_But he wasn’t your patient. You just ran into him in the hospital. Lots of people run into each other in hospitals and start relationships. Look at Organa and Solo._

Hux shook himself; he did not want to think about his chief of surgery and her part-time paramedic husband. He washed his face and brushed his teeth, then waited for Millicent to get comfy on the bed before he slid beneath the covers himself.

And if he had hazy dreams of a man with dark curls biting his lip as he looked up at Hux through long eyelashes, well, that was no one’s business but his own.


	3. Rounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Poe go about their day, and get a second chance at a first impression. In other news, Poe runs into an old friend.

Hux smirked as he watched Mitaka swallow a yawn. The young resident had dutifully stayed up all night, rounding regularly on Hux’s post-ops. He _should_ probably let Mitaka go sleep, but Phasma had made him listen to power ballads all the way into work, so he was feeling a little spiteful. He subtly checked his watch. He could torment Mitaka for a few minutes before sending him off to sleep. Mitaka had earned the right to scrub in on the stent; but it wouldn’t hurt to let the resident think he still had to work for it.

“Was that a _yawn_ , Dr. Mitaka?” Hux snapped.

“N-no, sir. I was trying to get the maximum amount of oxygen into my lungs at once as possible.”

“So…a yawn.” Hux did admire Mitaka’s linguistic acrobatics, and was thankful once again for his resting bitch face, which wouldn’t reveal said admiration to Mitaka.

“Yes, sir. I suppose it was.”

“Well, I suppose better you yawning now than sleeping well during the night and letting my patients suffer.”

“Um…yes?”

Hux nodded. “Yes, indeed. Come on, we have rounds and then you need a nap so you don’t pass out during Mr. Newlin’s stent. If all my patients are still thriving, I may even let you close.”

Mitaka’s eyes widened. “Thank you, sir.”

Hux waved him off. “Yes, yes. Who are we seeing first?”

“Steven Patrick, 32. He was your dissection yesterday,” Mitaka began as they began their rounds.  
*****

Poe sighed. “Brendan, BB, Buddy, you have to wear socks.”

“No,” BB replied, shaking his feet vigorously to get the socks off his toes.

“If you want to go see Misha, you need to wear socks.”

BB folded his little arms over his chest. “No.”

“Why is it you’ll stay fully clothed for Auntie Rey, but you won’t wear socks for Papa?”

“Because Auntie Rey believes in bribery,” Rey said, holding up a small bowl of strawberries.

Poe sighed. “Well, at least it’s a healthy bribe.” 

Rey snorted and handed him the bowl.

Poe held up a strawberry. “Now, BB, I could bribe you with this strawberry.”

BB held his hand out for the fruit.

“But, I think you should know that the hospital has very strict rules about proper attire.”

Sarah, Misha’s mother, had called earlier and requested that Poe move up the visit with Misha. Apparently, there had been a slight complication overnight and the little boy was going to have to stay in the hospital a little longer. His surgeon had cleared him for visitors and Sarah had thought some time with his best friend would cheer the little boy up.

“Berry,” BB requested. “Please.”

Poe sighed. At least he had tried logic first. “Socks first. And you have to keep them on the whole time.”

BB considered this, then wriggled his fingers for the fruit.

“BB?” Poe asked, putting the bowl away slightly.

“Deal,” BB replied.

Poe laughed as he put his son’s socks on, letting BB have as many strawberries as he could put in his pudgy hands.  
*****

“Poe Dameron, as I live and breathe! Holy sh..schnozzberries!”

“Ben?” Poe asked, startled. He and BB had followed Sarah’s instructions to the pediatric floor. He had not expected to run into his childhood friend, whom he hadn’t seen in close to 20 years.

“It’s Kylo now, but I suppose you can get a special dispensation,” Kylo said, wrapping Poe in a warm hug.

Poe returned the hug one-armed, BB still clinging to his other hand.

“And who is this handsome young man?” Kylo asked, crouching down to meet BB’s gaze.

Poe stared in shock. The last time he had seen Ben, he was still prone to tantrums when he became frustrated. He had certainly not had the patience for children.

“BB,” BB said, pressing his face against his father’s pant leg.

Kylo looked up at Poe. “Tell me that is a nickname and that I don’t have to turn you in for naming your child after ammo.”

Poe laughed. It seemed Kylo’s dry sense of humor was still intact. “It is a nickname.”

Kylo wiped a hand across his forehead in an exaggerated gesture. “Oh, that’s lucky.”

BB giggled.

“What brings you guys here? You’re not here for a consult are you? BB’s okay?” he asked, the questions coming out in a rush.

Poe chuckled and hefted BB up onto his hip. “We are here to visit a friend. He was involved in that huge wreck yesterday. I helped get him out of the car.”

Kylo nodded. “Sounds like something you’d do—wait, _you’re_ the untrained idiot dragging people out of cars?”

“That’s a no-no word,” BB commented.

Kylo tweaked his nose. “Special case, kiddo.” He turned to Poe. “Well?”

“It’s a long story,” he said, shooting his gaze to BB, who was reaching out to toy with Kylo’s stethoscope. 

“Right. Well, you are just in time for visiting hours,” Kylo said, putting a hand on Poe’s elbow to lead them down the hall.

BB squealed with joy as soon as he saw his friend, small hands pushing against Poe to be let down.

“Okay, buddy. Now remember, Misha had a hard night, so you have to be super careful,” Poe said, holding tightly to his son. Seeing all the lines going into Misha brought back painful memories. But Misha was sitting up in the bed and was waving at BB, so Poe presumed he was much improved. Poe set BB on his feet and let him run into the room. Sarah hugged BB and helped him onto a chair so he could be close to his friend.

“Is he going to be okay?” Poe asked Kylo, softly.

“I can’t discuss a patient’s prognosis with you.”

“Ben.”

“He’s not my patient, so I don’t know. But the fact that he’s allowed to have visitors is a good sign,” Kylo said.

“Good,” Poe whispered.

Kylo checked his watch. “Well, I have to go do a consult, but I’d love to catch up. When did you get back into town?”

“About four months ago. I meant to make some calls, but things were hectic for a while.”

Kylo nodded. “You have a regular sitter?”

“Why, are you offering?”

“Hah! _No_. Can you get free tonight?”

“Probably. Why?”

“There is a bar across the street—The Devil’s Elbow. I will meet you there at 8:00 and we can catch up. You can meet my wife!” Kylo said, walking backwards down the hall.

“Someone married you?”

“Twice!” he replied, before turning the corner.

Poe huffed a laugh as he shook his head. He watched his son animatedly tell a story to his friend and smiled before stepping into the room.

“Sarah, would you like something to drink or eat?” he asked.

“There is a machine at the end of the hall that dispenses not-terrible coffee. Would you mind?”

“I will be right back. BB, you be good for Miss Sarah, all right?”

“Yes, Papa!”  
*****

Hux watched as Mitaka carefully finished closing the incision. He was impressed with the younger doctor’s technique; clearly, Mitaka had been paying attention while on his service. He would wait to say anything until the patient had been moved to post-op, however; it wouldn’t do well for him to distract Mitaka.

“Is there anything else today, Dr. Hux?” Mitaka asked as Dr. Hux made his post-op notes.

“It’s barely 4:00, Mitaka. Do you have somewhere to be?” Hux asked.

“No, sir. I just, well…”

“Relax, Mitaka. Go home and get some sleep. I’ll call you if I need you.”

“What about Mr. Newlin’s post-op labs?”

“I’ll get Unamo to cover.”

“I can stay, sir,” Mitaka said, his tired voice fierce.

Hux sighed. Unamo was Mitaka’s closest cohort in the residency program. The two were constantly battling it out for the top spot. “All right, then. But I am going to—Burke, over here!” he shouted to a first-year intern.

“Sir!”

“Whose service are you on right now?”

“Dr. Ren,” he said as he reached Hux and Mitaka.

“Perfect. He owes me a favor or six. Tonight, you are on my service,” Hux said.

Burke’s eyes lit up. “Anything, Dr. Hux.”

“Good. Dr. Mitaka here has pulled a—how many hours?”

“Forty-six,” Mitaka replied.

“Rookie,” he muttered, before turning back to Burke. “Forty-six hour shift, including scrubbing in on two emergent surgeries and manning The Pit during the emergency yesterday. He needs to keep an eye on Mr. Newlin’s post-op. But as I don’t want my patients to die because he falls asleep mid-sentence, I am assigning you to—”

“Your post-ops?” Burke said, gleeful.

Mitaka winced. You didn’t interrupt Dr. Hux. Unless it was an emergency and you were Kein Antilles or Dr. Organa.

“To monitor Dr. Mitaka,” Hux corrected. “Dr. Mitaka is going to go to the on-call room and take a nap. You will wake him in three hours. You will then be sure that he takes a 20 minute nap at least once every two hours. Is that clear?” he snapped.

“Yes, Dr. Hux.”

“Good. I leave the two of you to it, then. I expect you and my patients to be in fine shape tomorrow, Dr. Mitaka. If anything emergent happens, I’ll be in the lab.”

Mitaka nodded.

Hux gave both doctors a narrow-eyed look before turning on his heel and stalking to the elevators. He wanted to hit the attendings’ lounge and change into fresh scrubs before checking on his research.

 _Oh, hell_ , he thought as the elevator doors opened, revealing the mechanic and his son.

“This is the surgical floor. I do hope you weren’t intending to next try your hand at surgery,” Hux said as he stepped on the elevator.

“Actually, I thought I’d let BB here try his hand at open-heart surgery,” Poe replied.

Hux took in the small child, who was staring at him with wide eyes from his place on his father’s hip.

“Well, he’s got the hands for it,” Hux commented, pressing the button for his desired floor.

Poe snorted a laugh. “I think we had a bad start yesterday. I’d like to get off on the right foot, if we could?”

“Right foot,” BB said, holding up his sneakered foot.

“That’s right, buddy,” Poe said, without taking his eyes off Hux’s face.

Hux didn’t know if it was the earnestness in the man’s eyes, or the way he was biting his lip, but he couldn’t find it in himself to turn down the honest offer.

“I’m Dr. Hux. Is there someone I can help you find?” he asked, extending his hand.

“Poe Dameron,” he said, shaking it. “And no, we just came from visiting BB’s friend.”

“The one you were looking for yesterday? How are they?”

“Good.”

“Well, that’s good. Ah, here’s my floor. Have a good evening,” Hux said, stepping off the elevator.

“Oh, and Dr. Hux?”

“Yes?” Hux asked, catching the doors with his hand.

“Before I was a mechanic, I was a firefighter for twelve years and a paramedic for three. I knew what I was doing.”

“Oh,” Hux said, his hand dropping to his side.

Poe waved as the doors closed.

“Bugger.”


	4. Upsets and Resets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ben and Poe catch up, and Hux and Poe get to know each other a little better. Mostly at Ben's expense.

Poe fussed with his shirt again, hoping he looked okay, but not as though he was making too much of an effort.

“You have a date,” Rey sing-songed, smiling.

“It’s not a date,” Poe replied, again. “It is drinks with a very old friend to catch up.”

“With the infamous Ben Solo,” she continued.

Poe rolled his eyes. “With the _married_ infamous Ben Solo, who now goes by Kylo Ren.”

“Kylo Ren,” she said, slowly, rolling the name off her tongue. “Sounds like the front man for a goth band.”

“I wouldn’t pick; Rey Kenobi sounds like a villain from a cheesy martial arts film.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “If you are going to ask me to give up my evening so I can babysit your son, I get to tease you.”

Poe flicked her ear. “You were going to be home studying for your midterm, anyway.”

“Exactly! It’s half my grade!”

“Look, I would have asked Finn, but he has parent-teacher conferences.”

Rey smirked at him. “Oh, I’m just teasing. I’ve been saying for months that you should get back out there. Climb back on that horse. Climb up on other things.”

Poe took her shoulders in his hands. “Rey. He is _married_ ,” he said, shaking her lightly.

She mirrored his pose and shook him quite a bit harder. “I knooooow. But you said you are going to be at a bar. There will probably be a lot of handsome men there. Maybe you could ask one of them to dance.”

“And then what? Invite him back here? Ask him to keep it down so my son doesn’t wake up? Ask him to ignore my sister muttering at her tablet, and my brother covered in glitter?”

“Why would Finn be covered in glitter?”

Poe rolled his eyes. “When does Finn not come home from work with glitter on him?”

Rey nodded. “Fair point.”

“I look okay, right? I don’t look like I’m trying too hard?”

Rey plopped down on his bed and watched him fight with his hair. “If it’s not a date, why are you worried about how you look?”

“I am going to be out in public. With people close to my own age and without my child. It’s been a while.”

Rey tilted her head to the side, really taking in his appearance. He was wearing a pair of comfortable jeans that did amazing things for his rear, and a button-up black shirt.

“Well?” Poe asked, turning to face her.

Rey stood and went to his closet, fishing around in the back corner for a moment. She shouted in triumph before stepping back with a baseball bat in her hands.

“Take this,” she said, holding it out, “to beat the men away.”

“A simple, ‘You look good,’ would have been sufficient.”

“But boring and out of character for me.”

“Don’t you have a midterm to study for?”

Rey sighed and tossed the bat back into the closet, wincing at the thud it made. They both stood silently for a moment, to be sure the sound hadn’t awakened BB. 

“Go out and have fun. Call if you need a ride and I’ll have Finn come get you,” Rey said.

“Right. Okay. Good.”

Poe stood in his room, staring at Rey with a helpless expression on his face.

“You should get going. You don’t want to be late,” Rey prompted.

“Right.” He patted his pockets. “Keys. Wallet. Okay. I shouldn’t be out too late.” He paused to press a quick kiss to Rey’s forehead.

“Wouldn’t blame you if you were!” she called after him.  
*****

Poe took several deep breaths as he sat in his car in the bar parking lot. It had not taken him as long to get here as he had thought it would, so he had a few moments to quietly freak out. He hadn’t been out on his own in a long time. Sure, he had gone out for dinner with Rey and Finn, leaving BB with his parents or a sitter. But he hadn’t done anything like this since…well, since before Jackson had died.

He shook himself before his mind went down that path. He was going to have a good night. He was going to catch up with an old friend and not come across as a sad widower. He reached up and gently touched the chain from which his wedding band hung. He had just managed to stop wearing it regularly (when he didn’t have his hands in an engine, that is) three months ago, but he couldn’t bear to not have it on him.

He took one last deep breath before getting out of his car. He checked it was locked before walking to the door of the bar, pulling it open before he could second-guess himself.

The bar was warmly lit and had a lot of wood paneling, styled more after a traditional pub than anything else. Poe looked around quickly, not wanting to block the entrance, but didn’t see Ben. 

_He’s a doctor. He might have gotten called in on an emergency_ , he told himself as he walked to the bar. He checked the clock over the bar and discovered he was still a few minutes early.

“Hello there, handsome. What can I get for you?” the bartender asked him, a bright smile on her face.

“Um, I’ll have a Guinness,” he replied, eyeballing the taps.

“He’ll have tequila shots!” Ben shouted from behind him.

The bartender raised an eyebrow at him. “What have I said about ordering for strangers?”

Ben sat down on the barstool beside Poe and swung a long arm around his shoulders, pulling him into Ben’s side. “This is not a stranger. This is my childhood friend, Poe Dameron. Poe, this is my lovely wife, Jessika Pava.”

“Pleased to meet you, Poe,” Jess said, reaching across the bar to shake his hand.

“Pleasure is all mine. I’d love to hear how you managed to wrangle this man into marriage. Last time I saw him, girls were ‘gross’.”

“My version of the story is better,” Ben confided to Poe.

“Mine’s more accurate,” Jess countered.

“That is true.”

Poe grinned. The last time he had seen Ben, he had been a somber kid, prone to fits of extreme emotion. It was nice to see him smiling and bantering; it was even nicer to see the love in his eyes when he looked at his wife.

“How about I let this lug buy me some drinks and tell his version of the story, and then I’ll tell you stories of him as a child in exchange for your version?” Poe asked.

“No, no. That is a _terrible_ idea,” Ben said.

“Done,” Jess said at the same time.

Poe smiled at Ben. “I’ll even let you get us tequila shots.”

“In that case, let me get you something lighter to chase,” Jess said, reaching for clean pint glasses. “Trust me on this.”

“I always take the word of a capable bartender.”

“Stop trying to charm my wife, Dameron,” Ben said, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Why don’t you guys go get one of the high tables in the back? I’ll send Lexie over with your drinks,” Jess said, pouring from the tap.

Ben leaned up and over the bar to quickly kiss his wife. “Thanks, babe. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“Come on, Poe, the tables in back are quieter,” Ben said, leading the way.

Poe followed him with a wave to Jess.

They reached a table, but before Poe could sit down, Ben enveloped him in a hug. Poe returned it warmly, if a bit awkwardly; Ben had gotten huge in the intervening years.

“Man, it really is so good to see you,” Ben said as he sat down.

“You, too.”

“You know, it occurs to me I should have told you to bring your wife along.”

“Oh, um, no wife.”

“Shit. Husband, then. Jess is always telling me not to assume.”

“He’s um…well, he passed 18 months ago.”

“Jesus, fuck, I’m sorry.”

“Here are your drinks, gentlemen,” a petite brunette said as she set two shots of tequila and two pints of beer on the table. “Jess said you didn’t need training wheels, but I brought them anyway,” she continued, setting down a salt shaker and a small glass with lime wedges.

“Thanks, Lexie,” Ben said.

She nodded and hurried off back to the bar to pick up her next order.

Ben raised his shot glass. “To reuniting with old friends.”

Poe clinked his glass against Ben’s before knocking back the shot. He hissed slightly at the burn.

“Ah!” Ben said, shaking his head sharply. “I needed that after today.”

Poe smiled and took a sip of his beer. “Oh?”

“Incompetence running rampant in my fucking OR and the Board doesn’t allow me to throttle people for being stupid,” Ben replied, before taking a gulp of his own beer.

“That doesn’t sound fair. Stupid should hurt.”

Ben let out a loud, deep laugh. “Fuck, I have _missed_ you. Jess! Another!” he shouted to his wife.

Jess rolled her eyes at him, but grabbed the bottle anyway.

“Where were we?” Ben asked. “Ah, yes—stupid should hurt. Unfortunately for me, the new chief is very firm on her policy of no intra-staff strangulations.”

“You could make it look like an accident,” Poe offered, as their next round of shots arrived.

“Nah. She’d know. My mother _always_ knows.”

Poe paused with his shot halfway to his mouth. “ _Leia_ is your boss?”

“Yep. Ain’t that a fucking peach?” Ben asked before drinking his shot.

Poe nodded. “I think your wife is going to need to take my keys,” he said, taking his own shot.  
*****

Hux groaned inwardly as he entered the bar; it was Friday night, so it was busier than usual. He didn’t know why he had come; he should have just gone home and had a glass of wine in front of his own fireplace. But he had suffered a major setback in the lab, and _then_ had to deal with Mitaka nearly decking Burke for not waking him when Mr. Newlin had spiked a fever. Burke had tried to handle it on his own, which led to Hux having to take Mr. Newlin back into the OR. Mitaka had been more enraged than Hux had believed possible. It had gotten dicey in the OR, but Hux and Mitaka had corrected the problem and Mr. Newlin’s vitals in the CICU had been promising by the time Hux had decided to call it a night.

After all that, Hux really needed a stiff drink, and his house had just seemed too damn far.

“Two nights in a row. You have a crush on my new waiter?” Jess asked.

“How could I have eyes for anyone in here but you?” he replied, settling onto a barstool. He handed his coat over the bar to her, and she tucked it away with her own.

“Oh, if only that were true. Ben might let me add you to my freebie list.”

“Overshare, Jessika.”

She smiled even as her eyes narrowed. “You look done in, Hux. What happened?”

“Resident stupidity and a lab-related setback.”

“I am sorry to hear that. Whiskey? Or, if you’re interested, Phasma and Poe Dameron are drinking with my husband, and seeing who has the most embarrassing Ben story.”

Hux smirked. “Don’t you win that game hands-down?”

Jess put her hand to her forehead. “Alas, that is why I am banished to the bar.”

He leaned forward. “I can’t help but notice you have another bartender back there who could take over.”

“Why, Dr. Hux, are you suggesting I crash the party?”

“I’ll go if you do.”

Jess grinned. “Trixie! The bar’s yours. Seth should be here soon to back you up.”

“Got it boss,” the blonde bartender replied, not bothering to look away from the drink she was mixing.

Hux waited at the end of the bar for Jess, offering her his arm.

She laughed as she slipped her hand into the bend of his elbow.

“Another round,” Jess said to Lexie as they passed her. “Vodka for Hux.”

“Sure thing,” Lexie replied.

“Gentlemen and Phasma, I hear you have denied Jessika her rightful place mocking her husband,” Hux said as they reached the table.

“They made me do it!” Ben said, leaping—albeit slightly unsteadily—to his feet to drag two more chairs to the table.

Upon sitting down, it took Hux a moment to realize Ben had placed him next to Poe. He glared at Ben, who merely smiled beatifically at him from across the table, as Lexie brought their round of drinks and a glass of iced tea for Jess.

“To Ren’s squishy backbone in the face of friends,” Hux said, raising his glass.

Phasma snorted. “Hear, hear.”

They took their shots, Hux sighing at the comforting warmth of the vodka.

“Shots, Hux? How rare,” Phasma said.

Hux rolled his eyes and took a sip of the Baltika porter Lexie had brought for him. “It was a hell of a shift. I left Mitaka cooling his heels in an on-call room after an altercation with Burke.”

“Altercation?”

Hux nodded slowly. “He should be fine.”

“I should go check on him,” she said, standing and pulling on her leather jacket. She paused as she noted the calculating grins on her friends’ faces. “Oh, fuck all of you. He’s on my service tomorrow; I want to make sure he can function.”

Ben snorted into his beer.

Phasma swatted him on the back of the head as she walked past him.

“You are a terrible person,” Ben said to Hux.

“Which finally explains why the two of you are friends,” Jess said.

“Excuse me; we are frenemies,” Ben corrected.

“I would never use that word,” Hux protested.

Ben rolled his eyes. “And we’re back to that stick up your ass.”

Poe choked on his drink.

“For the record, I am not commenting on his sexuality—I don’t care who he fucks—but on the fact that he wouldn’t know fun if it dropped to its knees and blew him,” Ben explained to Poe.

“Jayzus,” Hux said.

Jess handed out the next round of shots. “So, Poe, does it surprise you that your childhood friend grew up to be a terrible person?”

Poe took his and Hux’s shots from her. “Not really. He was a pretty terrible kid.”

Hux laughed as Poe handed him his shot, and tried not to dwell on the warmth of the other man’s fingers as they brushed his.

“Поехали,” Hux said.

“The hell was that?” Ben asked, after they had taken their shots.

“Cheers; roughly,” Hux replied.

“No, but really,” Poe said, picking up his earlier conversation thread. “I half-expected you to become a writer, what with all those stories you used to make up about people in the park.”

Ben laughed. “All those stories made those people horrible! With horrible ends to their terrible, made-up lives.”

Poe shrugged. “You could have had a good career in horror.”

“Wait, are you saying that if someone had encouraged wee Ren’s literary aspirations, I could have been spared him lurking the halls of my hospital?” Hux asked.

“Technically—” Ben began, but was cut short by Jess’ foot impacting sharply with his shin.

Poe looked between them, trying to figure out what had just happened.

“That is technically accurate, Hux,” Ben said.

“Kylo Ren is a better name for a horror writer than a doctor,” Hux said.

“My roommate thinks it sounds like the frontman for a goth band,” Poe offered.

Hux laughed sharply. “Well, he does occasionally like to wear eyeliner.”

“Fuck you both!” Ben said, laughing.

Poe caught Hux’s eye and felt a blush creeping up his cheeks at the sight of the other man’s smile. He realized he should probably stop drinking…soon.

“Well, I, for one, am glad you chose medicine. You’re moody enough without having to dive into your dark psyche,” Jess said, kissing Ben’s cheek.

“What can I say? I love children. It’s my one redeeming quality.”

“That and your abs,” Jess agreed.

“I love you.”

“You’d better.”

Ben grinned goofily at her and leaned in for a kiss.

“Ugh. We are in public!” Hux said, balling up a cocktail napkin and throwing it at their heads.

Jess laughed as they broke the kiss. “You know that only encourages him.”

Sure enough, Ben made a growling noise before pressing loud kisses to his wife’s neck.

“I do not know why I socialize with them,” Hux confided to Poe.

Poe laughed. “My only excuse is that we were friends as children.”

“There are worse reasons.”

“I can _hear you_ ,” Ben said.

“And I can _see_ you. Believe me, I’m getting the worst end of the exchange,” Hux replied.

“Fine. Let’s settle this like grown ups,” Ben said, sitting up straight.

Hux’s grin was sharp. “Billiards or darts?”

Ben pondered the choice as carefully as he could, given his level of intoxication. He knew he and Jess could take Hux and Poe at darts. But if Hux had to stare at Poe bent over the table for a shot, he just might be prompted to do something that would get that stick out of his ass. And Poe had admitted earlier that his opportunities for adult interaction had been few and far between since his husband’s death.

“Ren?” Hux prompted.

“Pool,” Ben replied, enjoying Hux’s wince.

Jess rolled her eyes. “I’ll rack. I’ve been told I have a great rack.”

“Even more impressive than my abs,” Ben said, smiling.

“No more shots for you!” she said, laughing.

“But beer?”

She ran a hand through his hair. “Beer is okay.”

“I must warn you,” Poe said to Hux as they followed Jess and Ben to a pool table.

“Yes?”

“At this point in the evening, my hand-eye coordination is not at its best.”

“Hmph. Well, I suppose that means no more shots for you, as well,” Hux replied.

“But beer is okay!” Ben called over his shoulder.

“Yes, Ren, beer is okay,” Hux agreed.

“He’s like a giant puppy,” Poe said, watching his friend test out cues.

“In need of housebreaking and detrimental to property,” Hux said, nodding. “Yes, he is exactly like a giant puppy.”

Poe laughed. “No, I mean. He’s all relaxed and full of joy. He’s like the boy I remember, and yet so different.”

“And how much like your childhood self are you?” Hux asked, as they set their drinks on a high table next to a pool table.

“Disgustingly similar,” Ben answered for him. “Charming, funny and that stupid fucking _smile_.”

“Ben, Hux is trying to flirt. Stop interrupting,” Jess said.

Hux’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t. I was making conversation. I don’t _flirt_.”

“You certainly don’t,” Ben muttered, dodging a smack from his wife.

Poe smiled at Hux before taking a determinedly long swallow of his beer. He set his half-empty glass on the table, his fingers brushing against Hux’s where they were wrapped around his own bottle.

“Your break, gentlemen,” Jess said, putting the triangle away.

“Why don’t you do the honors, Dr. Hux? I’m sure your hands are steadier,” Poe said, smiling.

Hux raised an eyebrow at him. “I would be delighted.”

Ben snorted.

“Water, please,” Hux whispered to Jess as he walked past her.

Jess nodded and signaled to Lexie.

Poe knew he was staring at Hux’s ass as the other man bent to break. He also knew Ben and Jess knew he was staring at Hux’s ass. Hell, _Hux_ probably knew he was staring at Hux’s ass.

He found he did not care, which just made him smile even harder.

 _Don’t look to see if he’s staring at you_ , Hux thought as he lined up his break. _He’s a flirt; it doesn’t mean anything. He has a_ kid, _for fuck’s sake! He might be married. He might be straight! He might—_

“While we’re young, Hux,” Ben prompted.

Hux looked over his shoulder to glare at Ren. “You could use the time to grow up.”

Poe laughed, a sound which did nothing to settle Hux’s composure.

“Bugger,” Hux muttered as he took his shot, sinking two solids on the break.

Poe whistled. “Must be that surgical precision.”

Hux smirked at him, taking his time as he chalked his cue. Poe was mesmerized by the delicate movement of Hux’s wrists. Hux held his gaze, setting the chalk down before running a hand through his hair. He bent to line up his shot, a lock of hair falling over his forehead as he did so. He bit his lip as he took the shot.

Poe suddenly realized he might be in over his head. As Hux sank the next solid, Poe hoped that Hux missed soon; he felt his flush growing with every shot Hux sank.

“I have a sudden desire for popcorn,” Jess whispered to Ben as Hux sank another solid.

Ben’s snort of laughter was just loud enough to throw Hux’s next shot off.

“Your turn to ogle, babe,” Ben said to Jess as he hopped off his stool.

Hux took a drink of water, his eyes on Poe. He wanted to determine if Poe had been ogling _him_ , or merely liked to look at the male form.

“Well played,” Poe said, keeping his gaze on Hux.

“Glad I’m on your team?”

“Very.”

Lexie brought over a glass of water for Poe.

“Don’t want to let the side down,” he explained, in response to Hux’s raised eyebrow.

“If you two could take a moment, it’s Poe’s turn,” Ben said.

“Is he always this demanding?” Poe asked.

“Well, you know, surgeons. We have very specific standards and needs,” Hux replied.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hux laughed as Poe sauntered to the table. He leaned over the table to line up his shot, then looked at Hux and _winked_ before taking the shot without looking.

“Did you just sink that without looking? What the hell, Dameron?” Ben asked.

“Mechanic’s precision,” Poe said as he took his next shot, sinking the ball. “And some teenage misadventures,” he added, smirking at Hux. He held Hux’s gaze as he sank the eight ball.

“Did they—did they just beat us at pool while eye-fucking each other?” Ben asked Jess, bewildered.

“Yes; yes, they did.”

“Rematch!” Ben shouted.

Poe chuckled as he reached for his water. “I should get going. Saturdays are busy at the garage. I wouldn’t want a hangover to interfere with my hands.”

“No, we wouldn’t want that,” Hux agreed.

“I’ll call you a cab,” Jess said. “You need one, too, Hux? Or are you going to find an on-call room?”

Hux wrinkled his nose. “You _must_ be joking. Do you know what residents _do_ in those on-call rooms?”

Jess laughed. “Cab, then?”

“I’ll share with Poe.”

“You don’t know where I live,” Poe stated.

“I’m sure it’s on my way.”

Ben clapped his hands. “Great. How about a rematch while we wait?”

Poe waved him off. “I’m going to concentrate on hydrating.”

“Hux?”

“Sure, Ren, I’ll kick your arse at darts.”  
*****

“Did you let Ben win?” Poe asked as they climbed into the cab.

“It seemed the only way to get us out of there before the bar closed,” Hux replied.

“Where to?” the cab driver asked.

Poe gave him his address. Hux recognized the street; they would actually pass his house on the way, but he’d rather double back.

“And you?” Poe asked.

Hux sighed. He could lie, but…

“You first, then,” Poe said, upon hearing Hux’s address.

The cabbie nodded and pulled away from the curb.

“You’re familiar with the area, then?” Hux asked Poe.

“I grew up here. I moved away about ten years ago. I came home for the occasional visit to see my parents, and then moved back a few months ago.”

“How were you and Ren childhood friends, then? He’s not from here.”

“They lived here for about three years. Leia was doing some research. They moved away; Ben and I lost touch. Eleven-year-olds are pretty poor correspondents.”

Hux chuckled. “My father would be appalled to hear that. He is very keen on good penmanship.”

“Surprising for a doctor.”

“Oh, we have a special course in med school to teach us the doctor scrawl.”

“I knew it! Jackson always said I was crazy, but I knew there was no way the doctor scrawl came naturally.”

“Jackson?”

“My husband,” Poe replied, then swallowed hard.

Right. Hux had almost forgotten Poe’s son. _Of course_ there would be a spouse.

“Do he and Ren not get along?” Hux asked.

Poe gave him a puzzled look. “They never met.”

“Oh. I thought the reason he didn’t come with you tonight—”

Poe cut him off with a hand on his arm. “Jackson died 18 months ago.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

Poe patted his arm. “It’s all right. I don’t usually lead conversations with the fact that I’m a widower.”

“And it’s usually not something effortlessly moved into the conversation,” Hux conceded. “Especially over billiards and drinks.”

“Exactly.”

“How about dinner?”

“What?”

“We’ve just turned onto my street and I’d hate for loss to be the last thing we talked about.”

“All right,” Poe said, surprising himself with his eagerness.

“Phone,” Hux said, holding out his hand.

Poe hurried to dig his phone out of his pocked as the driver slowed down.

Hux quickly put his contact info in, then texted himself from the phone. He handed it back to Poe as the cab came to a stop.

“Here we are, sir,” the cab driver reported.

“I’ll call you tomorrow. After business hours, of course. I hear Saturdays are busy,” Hux said, opening the door.

“Thank you for an enjoyable game,” Poe said, holding out his hand.

Hux took it in a firm handshake. “I’ll see you soon, Poe.”

Poe watched with a smile on his face as Hux walked up to his door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry this took so long. But my laptop had a serious injury and has been out for repairs, so this chapter was written out longhand and then I had to steal time at work to transcribe it into the Word doc. I hope the fact that it's 4,000 will suffice as an apology!
> 
> I also admit to shamelessly paraphrasing/adjusting the "redeeming quality" bit from Game of Thrones.


	5. Under the Hood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Poe try to have dinner, but--in typical romcom tradition--something gets in the way.

Poe glared at the engine in front of him. It was late in the afternoon, he was sweaty and greasy and tired, and he was about ready to light this thing on fire just for the sheer joy of watching it burn.

“You do realize that glaring at it won’t fix it, right?” Rey said, crouching beside him.

“I was hoping telekinesis would suddenly kick in and it would just fold in on itself,” he replied.

“Want me to help? My hands are smaller.”

“No.” Poe sighed and stood up. He arched his back, sighing as his shoulders popped. “The only one with hands small enough is BB, and I’m pretty sure labor laws prevent that.”

Rey nodded as she stood. “Also common sense and decency.”

Poe laughed. “I was hoping to not have to drop the whole thing and take it apart completely.”

“Not wanting to make more billable work? Don’t they take your mechanic card away for statements like that?”

Poe whirled around to see Hux standing in the bay. “Hi! What? No! It’s just that this guy is working two jobs and trying to keep his kids in college and…” he trailed off as he saw Hux’s smirk. “Ass.”

“Nice to see you, too.”

“Hi, we haven’t been introduced. I’m Rey,” Rey said, bounding forward with her hand out.

Hux immediately shook it, seemingly unconcerned with the grease on her small hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Hux.”

“Oh, _the doctor._ ” She turned and looked at Poe. “The non-flustered response was, ‘Well you would know all about billable hours and unnecessary tests,’” she said to him, with a wide smirk.

“Isn’t there a motorcycle you should be working on?” Poe asked her.

“Yes, but the show in here is better.”

“Go work on the bike. I promised the guy we’d have it by Monday.”

“The customer is a med mal attorney, Hux. Maybe you know him?” Rey asked Hux.

Poe turned bright red. “Rey!”

She shrugged. “Just want to make sure the guy’s not going to use your business to pay for his lawsuits.”

Hux huffed a laugh. 

“BIKE!” Poe shouted.

“Yeah, yeah,” Rey said, moving away to work on a Harley.

“She’s a firebrand,” Hux said, walking over to Poe. 

“That’s one word for it. I only keep her around because my parents have a soft spot for her. That, and my kid loves her.”

Hux laughed. “You’re just one of those true-blue, good people, aren’t you, Dameron?”

Poe smiled. “Well, I did have a bit of a misspent youth.”

“I’ll just bet,” Hux replied, very obviously checking Poe out.

Poe suddenly became very aware of the fact that he had slipped out of the arms of his coveralls, tying them low around his waist, leaving him in nothing but a worn-thin-with-age gray tank underneath. He crossed his arms over his chest, subtly flexing his biceps.

“Sorry, is it the muscles or the tattoo you’re trying to use to illustrate your past bad-assery?” Hux asked, eyebrow lifted in question.

Poe held his serious expression for about ten seconds before he grinned. “Are they working?”

Hux coughed. “Oh, yes.” He reached out and ran a finger over the tattoo of crossed fire axes on Poe’s bicep.

Poe felt the hair on his arms stand up at the gentle touch. “Look, I’ve got to get this engine dropped, but after I’m done, if it’s not too late, would you like to have dinner? I can probably get Rey to watch BB.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to bring him along. Despite my attitude the other day, I don’t dislike children.”

“You have a surgeon’s detachment,” Poe said.

“It’s deeper than that, but yes. Regardless, if you don’t object to him meeting me, I’d like to have the chance to prove to him I am something more than ‘rude’.”

“I notice you didn’t say that you’re not rude.”

“That would be a lie,” Hux said with a sly grin.

Poe raised an eyebrow. “And you don’t tell lies?”

“Not ones that can be easily debunked by your childhood friend.”

Poe laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. But, as much as I would enjoy watching you experience my son’s barely passable table manners, by the time I get that done,” he said, pointing at the car whose engine he’d been glaring at, “it’ll be far past BB’s bedtime.”

“What if I help?”

“Beg pardon?” Poe asked, studying him. 

Hux smirked. “Mechanical engineering was my first love. I still like to tinker with engines when I get the chance.” He unbuttoned his cuffs and began rolling his sleeves up.

Poe nearly swallowed his tongue. “I could, um, find some coveralls for you.”

“It’s an old shirt. Besides, they might be a little too short in the leg. Or the inseam,” he said, winking.

“You are a terrible man.”

Hux nodded. “So I have been told.”

“Could you keep the flirting down? Some people are trying to work here,” Rey called out.

“Not very hard, if you’re taking the time to eavesdrop!” Poe called back.

Hux chuckled. “Firebrands, eh?”

“If she weren’t such cheap labor and good with BB, I’d have chucked her over long ago,” Poe said, nodding.

“No, you wouldn’t!” Rey sing-songed back.

 _Yes, I would,_ Poe mouthed at Hux, nodding.

Hux laughed. “Okay, so what are we doing to this—dammit,” he cut himself off as his phone rang. “Hux,” he said, sharply, answering it. “Dr. Organa,” he said, and Poe smirked as Hux stood up a little straighter.

Poe’s smile faded as he watched the color drain from Hux’s naturally pale face.

“No. Yes. How long has he been there? I’m supposed to—” Hux bit his lip as he impatiently listened to Dr. Organa. “No, I didn’t know he was in town. No one told me. What floor? Good. Please tell him I’m on my way,” Hux said.

“Everything all right?” Poe asked as Hux pocketed his phone.

“Ah, rain check for getting our hands dirty together and then dinner with the little guy?” Hux replied.

“Sure. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not unless you have a top-notch ophthalmologist on hand.”

“Ah, no?”

Hux rubbed a hand over his face. “Sorry. It’s my brother. It’s a very long story. The short of it is that he was admitted to First Order Memorial an hour ago. That was Dr. Organa.”

“Let me tell Rey I’m leaving and I’ll drive you.”

“I know the way to the hospital,” Hux snapped.

“I know,” Poe said, holding up his hands. “But you probably shouldn’t drive yourself.”

Hux ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s just…”

“It’s hard when it’s family,” Poe said, trying very hard not to concentrate on the lock of hair that had fallen over Hux’s forehead.

“And Techie’s a special case.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, I really have to go.”

“I was serious about driving you.”

“Thank you, but no. I am fully in control of my emotions. Plus, I may have to deal with my father, and I am never at my best when confronting him.”

“If you’re sure.”

Hux rolled his sleeves down, fidgeting for a moment with the buttons. “No, but it’s the best I can do right now. Rain check?”

Poe nodded. “You know where to find me.”

Hux gave him an awkward wave before exiting the garage.

“You should go after him.”

Poe managed to not shriek in surprise, but he did jump. “Damn it, Rey!” he scolded.

She smiled at him. “Sorry. But you should go after him. Clearly, he’s upset.”

“Clearly, it’s a family thing that he doesn’t want me intruding upon.”

“Ugh. Men. Please go get cleaned up and go after him,” she said, pushing on his shoulders. “Finn and I will get Brendan’s dinner taken care of if you’re not back in time.”

“Rey, it sounded like a serious family thing.”

She shook him lightly. “You are living in the middle of a romantic movie. You have to go after him; those are the rules.”

“That’s it; I’m blocking Lifetime on the satellite.”

“Get upstairs, change your clothes, and GO!”Rey insisted.

Poe sighed. Rey was tiny, but she was mighty and, sometimes, it was just better to let her have her way.  
*****

It took everything Hux had not to run through the hospital to his brother’s side. He told himself that he had managed to drive there without causing an accident, so he could refrain from running through his workplace like a common madman. He bypassed the elevators, taking one of the little-used stairwells, something which enabled him to go faster than he would have if other people could see him.

He slowed his pace considerably when he saw Dr. Organa standing at the nurses’ station on his brother’s floor. He reigned in his emotions as he approached her.

“Dr. Organa. How is he?” he asked as he reached her.

Leia took in his flushed face and the fact that he wasn’t presenting his usual cool mask. She gave him a reassuring smile. “We sent him down to radiology for some scans. He should be back up here soon.”

“Why wasn’t I called sooner?”

Leia sighed. “He asked the physician who saw him not to call.”

“Everyone knows to contact me when Techie comes in. Except…Antilles,” he fairly snarled.

“Your brother didn’t want us to call anyone. And while going against a patient’s wishes may have been acceptable when your father ran this place, that is not how things work now.”

Hux took a deep breath. “Look, I know you and my father have many differences. I can assure you that I also have differences with him. The reason the…strongly worded request to contact me is in place is because Techie becomes easily agitated. He hates hospitals; he fears them and he will sometimes play down his symptoms in order to be released more quickly. If I am around, he will be calmer.”

“I can’t go against a patient’s wishes,” Leia said. “However, now that I know your concerns, maybe we can work something out if he has to come in again.”

“Thank you, Dr. Organa. I’d like to see him now. I need some time with him before our father shows up.”

“Why would your father come here?”

Hux couldn’t help it; he rolled his eyes. “Because The Resistance Foundation, in their infinite wisdom, decided to _not_ ban him from this hospital when they took over.”

“In the months since he was formally ousted, he has yet to show up.”

“Because, before now, he had no weapon to use against this hospital.”

Leia raised an eyebrow. “Are you calling your sick brother a weapon?”

“No! I—” Hux cut himself off. “Techie—T.K.—has always had health problems. My father saw him as weak, and has treated him accordingly. He’s used Techie against me my entire life. For the past several years, my father had this hospital—his own little empire—so he could leave Techie alone. But you took his hospital away.”

Leia opened her mouth to protest.

Hux held up a hand. “I know, I know. He lost this hospital all on his own. But he doesn’t see it that way; he _can’t_.” Hux ran his hand through his hair. “And now I am working for the enemy; and he has nothing better to do than get his rocks off by tormenting my brother.”

“Dr. Hux, you and I are going to have to have a lengthy conversation about your father some day soon.”

He smirked. “Only if you get your daughter-in-law to provide the liquor. I’ll need a lot of it.”

“I think something can be arranged. In the meantime, your brother’s room is 1138; you can wait there or try to catch him in radiology.”

“Dr. Organa! I demand to know who you think you are, to keep me from my son!”

Hux sighed at the bitterly familiar sound of his father’s bellow. He and Leia turned to face his rapidly approaching father. Hux noticed that his father was sporting the beginnings of a shiner. 

“Call security,” Hux said softly to Leia, before moving to intercept his father.

“Out of my way, boy,” Brendol Hux snarled.

Hux bodily put himself in his father’s path. “What do you want?” he demanded.

“To see my son!”

“Well, here I am,” Hux said, spreading his arms wide. “Why don’t we go get a drink? You could probably use some ice for that eye.”

“After I talk to the new chief about the lawsuit I’m going to file against this hospital for assault!” he shouted.

Hux vaguely noticed the elevator doors opening to admit two security officers onto the floor.

“There you are, sir. We have some questions about the altercation in radiology,” the first guard said.

Brendol whirled on them. “I was assaulted by a blond behemoth for no reason!”

“Oh, dear,” Leia breathed from behind Hux.

“That’s right, Organa, I did my research,” Brendol said, turning back to her. 

He dodged around Hux, who stepped aside after a Look from Leia.

“I know who you’ve hired to work in my hospital.”

Leia folded her arms across her chest and straightened her spine. “Oh, do tell.”

“I heard my son was brought in here, and when I finally tracked him to radiology, he was screaming. I tried to get to him, and that idiot Skywalker you hired—after accusing _me_ of nepotism!—blocked my way. And when I tried to exert my parental rights, he _punched me!”_

Leia let her gaze fall on Hux. “Would you like to take this one, Konstantin, or should I?”

There was a small part of Hux that thought maybe he should step in and preserve what little dignity his father had left. But the larger part, the part that had lived under his thumb for his entire life, wanted desperately to see the verbal beatdown Dr. Leia Organa was about to dish out. 

Hux looked his father in the eye. “It’s your hospital, Dr. Organa,” he said.

“Indeed. Mr. Bateman, could you please enlighten me to what you were told happened in radiology?” she asked the security officer.

“I just told you, you—”

“I’ve heard your version, _Mr_. Hux. I’d like to get a full view of the picture. I’m sure, as a former chief of surgery, you understand that,” she said, cutting him off.

Mr. Bateman, one of the security guards, coughed. “Dr. Skywalker did, indeed, punch Mr. Hux.”

“See? They saw it happen!” Brendol shouted.

“Is this true?” Leia asked.

“Yes, Dr. Organa. However, by the time we got there, the patient was shouting and Dr. Skywalker had placed himself between the patient and Mr. Hux. From what we saw and heard from the eyewitnesses, Dr. Skywalker appeared to be protecting the patient,” Mr. Bateman continued.

“I see,” Leia said. “Mr. Hux, do you still wish to sue the hospital? Or Dr. Skywalker? I want to be sure I get formal statements from everyone while their memories are still fresh.”

“It’s _Doctor_ Hux,” Brendol corrected. 

“Not in this hospital, sir,” Leia said. “Now, do you wish to press charges? If not, I am asking you—politely—to leave.”

Brendol seemed to deflate. “I’ll go.” He glared at Hux. “Tell your brother I’ll need to see him soon.”

Hux stared at his father, speechless.

Brendol nodded, then strode past the security officers to the elevator.

“That was too easy,” Hux said as Leia stepped up beside him.

“I know,” she replied. She nodded at Mr. Bateman, who returned the nod before following Brendol into the elevator.

“I would like to see my brother now.”

Leia sighed. “If I know Matt, he’s sticking to your brother’s side like glue. I’ll page Kylo to meet you there; he’s the only one who can talk Matt down when he’s in protective mode.”

“Ren’s in surgery; we shouldn’t bother him,” Hux said, remembering Ren’s exuberant explanation of the biliary atresia he had scheduled for the day. “I’m sure, between Techie and I, we can get Matt to calm down.”

“Let me know if you need help. Matt, like my son, will sometimes listen to me, if the stars are in the proper alignment.”

“Thank you, Dr. Organa.”

Leia put her hand on his arm before he could walk away. “For the record, Hux, I _never_ accused your father of nepotism. Everyone knows you are here on your merit; and if you ever chose to leave, this hospital would suffer a substantial loss.”

Hux swallowed hard. “Thank you, Dr. Organa.”

She smiled. “Call me Leia. After all, you are dating my son’s childhood friend.”

“What? How?”

“My daughter-in-law is an irredeemable gossip. It makes up for Ben’s rather taciturn attitude during family dinners.”

“Right. Thank you, Leia. I need to go see to my brother, and then murder Ren’s wife.”

Leia laughed brightly before sobering. “Say the word, and I’ll begin the proceedings to have your father formally banned from the hospital.”

“No. At least here, there are controls on him. If you’ll excuse me?”

Leia nodded, and Hux walked quickly to the stairwell, mentally mapping the quickest route to radiology.  
*****

Hux winced at the group of people standing in the hall outside radiology. There were several doctors—mostly interns, Hux noted, by the color of their scrubs—standing next to patient gurneys, waiting their turn. It was clear that this was not a standard radiology backlog. He strode quickly past the line and into the radiology suite.

Hux stopped sharply as the door closed behind them. His brother was half-lying on the bed, waiting to be slid into the CT. He was otherwise leaning against a tall, blond man, who resembled Ren in ways that made Hux nervous. 

“Techie?” Hux asked, softly.

“Kostya!” Techie said, pulling slightly away from Skywalker.

“Are you all right?” Hux asked, hurrying to his brother’s side.

“Father was here. Matt protected me. I’m sorry. I should have let Dr. Antilles call you.” Techie ducked his head and stared at his hands. “I didn’t want to be a bother.”

Hux tucked a strand of Techie’s hair behind his ear, studiously ignoring the threatening glare Skywalker was giving him from Techie’s other side. “You are never a bother to me. Why didn’t you tell me you were in town? Why didn’t you tell me you were ill?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I thought it was just a cough—you know how my allergies act up when I travel.”

Hux nodded. “And your eyes?” he asked, cupping Techie’s face in his hands. His brother’s eyes were reddened and watery, but didn’t look to be showing any signs of infection.

“My eyes are fine. It’s the coughing that hurts. It wasn’t getting better, so I decided to come here. I thought it would be okay now that _he’s_ not here.” Techie shuddered. “How did he find me?”

“I suspect he has a tracker in your phone. I’ve told you to get a new one.”

“I know. I’m sorry—” Techie cut himself off as he began coughing again.

“We need to get him scanned,” Skywalker said, gently easing Techie down onto the bed.

Hux nodded. “Okay, Techie, time for your scan. I’ll be right behind the glass.”

Techie clutched Skywalker’s hand. “And you?”

Skywalker shot a look at Hux. “I’ll be right there, too.”

Techie smiled and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Even breaths, Techie. I’ll be talking to you the whole time.”

Techie nodded.

Hux patted Techie’s shoulder one last time and followed Skywalker out of the room.

Skywalker shooed the radiology tech out of his chair. He flipped on the comm into the other room. “Okay, Techie. We’re going to start the scan now. Hux and I are right here,” he said.

Hux watched his brother’s fingers twitch into the OK symbol.

Skywalker switched off the comm. “You know,” he said, initiating the scan, “technically, you shouldn’t be in here, being family and all.”

Hux leaned a little harder on the back of Skywalker’s chair than necessary as he reached for the comm. “I’m not treating him; I’m comforting him.” 

“Kostya?” Techie asked.

Hux flipped on the comm. “Right here, Techie. I want you to think about what kind of food you want for dinner. However, judging by that cough, you’re going to be on some medication, so no pretty cocktails for you.”

“Kostya…”

“Hold still, Techie. No pouting.”

Techie’s hand turned very slowly, until he was able to extend his middle finger.

Hux chuckled and turned off the comm. “Well?” he asked Skywalker.

“Scans are just starting to come up.” Skywalker leaned forward in his chair and pushed his—rather unfashionable, if you asked Hux—glasses further up his nose.

“Double pneumonia,” Hux sighed as he watched the screen over Skywalker’s shoulder. He’d seen enough scans of Techie’s chest to know it when he saw it.

“Not just that,” Skywalker said, tapping the screen.

“Fuck. Is that?” Hux asked, leaning closer.

“Pulmonary embolism.”  
*****

“But I _hate_ hospitals! Can’t I just take the medicine at home?” Techie whined. He was leaning back against the pillows on his hospital bed, having finally found an angle that didn’t send him into coughing fits.

Hux sighed. “No, Techie. I’ve explained this. You need to be on Heparin for the embolism and we need to carefully monitor that. We need to be even more careful because you need antibiotics for the double pneumonia.”

“But—” Techie’s lungs betrayed him, launching into another coughing fit.

Hux raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen your scans, Techie.”

Techie sucked in a breath. “You’re not a radiologist.”

“No. But _he_ is,” he said, pointing at Matt. “Tell him, Skywalker.”

“Honestly, I have no idea how you’re walking around, with all the crap in your lungs,” Matt said.

Techie lifted his chin. “I’m stubborn.”

“That you are. But you still have double pneumonia and you still have to stay here for a few days so we can monitor that and your embolism,” Matt agreed.

Techie turned pleading eyes to his brother. “Kostya,” he said, lower lip wibbling.

“Put the lip away, Techie,” Hux said. “I’ll not be swayed.”

“Father could come back,” Techie said softly.

“He won’t get by me,” Matt said, fiercely.

Techie blushed.

“You have to take care of your health, Techie. I’ll make you a deal,” Hux said, sitting on the bed at Techie’s hip. “You be a model patient and, after I go get some things for you, I will smuggle dinner in.”

Techie’s eyes lit up. “And a milkshake?”

“And a milkshake,” Hux agreed, solemnly. “I’ll even try to track down a blueberry one for you.”

“You’re too good to me.”

“Shh,” Hux said, tucking him in. “I have a reputation to protect.”

Techie giggled and pushed at Hux’s hands. “My hotel key is in my bag,” he said, nodding at the messenger bag on the bedside table. “I’m at the Marriott I like. Go get me food. Matt will protect me.”

Hux stood and turned to Skywalker. “Don’t let him con you into watching Jeopardy!”

“I love Jeopardy!” Matt said, settling into a chair beside Techie.

“Jayzus,” Hux muttered, grabbing a room key out of Techie’s bag, taking note of the room number written on the little holder. “Don’t let him talk you into making any bets,” he warned Matt before exiting the room. 

He stopped dead when he saw Poe standing on the other side of the hall, watching the door to Techie’s room.

“What are you doing here?” Hux asked, shocked.

“Not eavesdropping! Wait, that sounds bad. Okay,” he said, running a hand over his face.

“Go on,” Hux said, walking over to him.

“Rey suggested that I should follow you to make sure everything was okay—I swear, I’m taking the Netflix away from her. And then I got here and there was a large man swearing as he was escorted out. I finally found Leia and she said you were with your brother. Ben—Kylo—came tearing around a corner because apparently he’d heard his cousin punched a guy. I was going to leave, but Kylo said I should definitely stay and—mmph!”

Hux cut him off with a kiss, pressing the shorter man hard against the wall. He tangled his hands in Poe’s curls, tilting his head back for a better angle. Poe moaned and clutched Hux’s hips, his thumbs rubbing the soft material of his shirt. Hux smiled and deepened the kiss, nipping at Poe’s full bottom lip.

“Whoa. Um, oops?”

Hux and Poe quickly broke their kiss, keeping their hands on each other as they turned to face Matt, who was halfway into the hall.

“Sorry. I was going to try to catch you to let you know Techie nodded off. Didn’t want you to bring back a milkshake that would go melty before he could drink it,” Matt said.

“Right. Thank you.” Hux let go of Poe. “I’m sure you have patients. I’ll sit with him,” he finished, casting an apologetic glance at Poe.

“Oh! Um, actually, today was my day off. I just came in to tinker with one of the broken CTs in the basement. It was pure luck I was in radiology when, well, when Techie was,” Matt replied.

“Thank you, again, for that.”

“It was no problem. I’ve never liked your father. I can’t stand a bully.”

Hux tried not to wince. “That’s one word for him.”

“Listen, why don’t you go to his hotel and get some things for him? I can let you know when he’s awake and ready for food,” Matt offered.

Poe took Hux’s hand. “That sounds like a good idea. Besides, I owe you dinner.”

Hux smiled at him. “And you did get out of those dirty coveralls for me.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “I’ll get your number from the directory. Don’t worry, your brother is safe with me,” he said before ducking back inside Techie’s room.

“I think he has a crush on your brother,” Poe said.

“An issue for another day. Listen, Poe, would you mind terribly if we…”

“Had dinner across the street at The Elbow so you can be close if your brother needs you?” Poe finished.

“I could kiss you.”

“I wouldn’t say no,” Poe said, biting his lip.

Hux groaned. “Not here. We should eat and talk. And then maybe neck in the car on the way to my brother’s hotel.”

“Are you planning on seducing me in your brother’s hotel room?” Poe asked, taking Hux’s hand to lead him to the elevator.

Hux squeezed his hand. “He’d never forgive me.” He shrugged. “Might be worth it.”

“Oh, I’d be worth it.”

Hux stole a quick kiss as the elevator doors closed on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really sorry this took so long. I was so stressed by all the pre-election stuff here in the States that I lost my mojo for a while. I figured once it was over, things would be easier. They aren't, so I put my big girl pants on and decided stress wouldn't be the boss of me. I hope it was worth the wait.


	6. Technical Difficulties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hux and Poe try to have a date, but the universe deeply hates Dr. Konstantin Hux.

“Why is your brother staying in a hotel?” Poe asked as Hux parked his car in the hotel lot.

“Techie likes to be independent. He spent a lot of his life not having control over where he went or what happened to him,” Hux replied.

“Is he blind?”

“No-what?”

Poe shrugged as he got out of the car. “Earlier, you asked if I knew a top-notch ophthalmologist. I thought maybe he was blind.”

“Oh. He’s not. He’s…can it wait until we get to his room? I’m not comfortable talking about it in public.”

Poe gave a pointed look to the almost deserted parking lot, but took Hux’s hand and led him into the hotel.

They rode the elevator in silence, Hux distracting himself by tracing intricate patterns over the back of Poe’s hand with his thumb. Poe squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

Hux managed to bite back a curse as it took him three tries with the keycard to get the door open. Call him a luddite, but he missed actual keys. He quickly flipped on the lights as the door closed behind them.

“This is a _really_ nice room,” Poe said, looking around.

Hux smiled. “My little brother is a genius.”

“Is he?”

“All ego aside, I am a brilliant surgeon.”

“That’s no-ego?”

“Hush, I am trying to relate important information to you.”

“About the size of your ego,” Poe said, settling into the plush sofa.

“About my brother.”

Poe caught the edge of sincerity in Hux’s tone and pulled him down onto the sofa beside him. “Tell me,” he said.

“I am a brilliant surgeon. I have a photographic memory and I have a unique talent when it comes to my specialty. I am the youngest cardio-thoracic surgeon to have been nominated for the Torres-Yang award. But my intelligence pales in comparison to my brother’s.”

Poe took Hux’s hand and threaded their fingers together, silently urging him to continue.

“Techie, he just…he has the eidetic memory. But he also has this intuition when it comes to coding and systems that is just…there’s no one like him. He is also frail. When he was born, they lost his heartbeat three times before the doctors decided to convert to a Caesarian. He didn’t cry for 24 hours, so they didn’t let our mother see him, because they were afraid he was going to die, and didn’t want her to be more traumatized when that happened. But Techie rallied; he survived, but he was always frail. When he was nine years old, his eyesight started failing. Father had always seen him as a blemish on his legacy, but he saw Techie’s failing vision as a way to advance his own career.”

Hux paused to let out a bitter laugh.

“My father ‘knew a guy’; this ‘leading edge’ surgeon doing amazing things with corneal transplants. Turns out, his technique was absolute garbage. Techie suffered through _years_ of infections and poor eyesight before he finally got a proper match and a good surgeon. He’s still susceptible to infections in his eyes, which is why I presumed that’s what had landed him in the hospital. He does, however, also have a history of pulmonary issues, which is why he went to the hospital today.”

“That still doesn’t explain this,” Poe said, waving at the room around them.

Hux grinned. “Techie, as you can imagine, spent a lot of time in bed. Our mother would bring him a lot of books. Nurses took pity on him and brought him hand-held games. He would take them apart and put them back together, usually operating better. They gave him a beat-up old laptop and he got it working. He started surfing the net and learned everything he could. Turns out, he has a talent for coding. A once-in-a-generation talent for it.”

Poe stared at him for a moment, then laughed. “And by ‘coding’, you mean ‘hacking’.”

“I just want to be clear: Techie has never done anything strictly illegal. He just…bent the law a bit to get someone’s attention.”

“Whose attention?”

Hux’s smile was wolfish. “Calrissian Industries.”

Poe whistled. Calrissian Industries had their hand in everything, from infrastructure to military contracts. It was a multi-billion dollar company. “Your brother is flying cheap, then.”

“He likes racking up the rewards points.” Hux gave Poe a long, hot look. “And their showers are hard to beat.”

“Are they, now?”

“So I’ve heard,” Hux replied, nodding slowly.

Poe bit his lip before moving in for a heated kiss. Hux moaned, maneuvering the stockier man until he was in his lap. Poe bit at Hux’s plump lower lip, earning himself a desperate clutch of his hips. Hux slid his tongue against Poe’s lips, begging entrance. With a soft groan, Poe parted his lips, granting Hux access. He threaded his fingers through ginger hair, tilting Hux’s head until he found the angle he liked. Hux growled in frustration as he tried to untuck Poe’s shirt from his trousers.

Hux’s phone rang.

Hux groaned and broke the kiss. “Son of a bitch,” he said, trying to fish out his phone without dislodging Poe from his lap.

Poe moved his hands to Hux’s shoulders to steady himself, swallowing a groan as the other man’s movements caused tantalizing friction.

“Everything okay, Techie?” Hux asked, answering his phone.

“I’m hungry. When are you coming back?” Techie answered.

Hux thumped his head on the back of the sofa. “Soon. Skywalker said you had fallen asleep, so I drove to your hotel first,” he replied, absently stroking Poe’s hip with his thumb.

“Okay. My knapsack has a couple changes of clothes in it. It’s on the dresser; just grab that.”

“What about your laptop?”

Techie snorted, then coughed. “I have that with me, of course!”

“Of course you do,” Hux said, smiling.

Poe felt a desperate need to kiss that smile, but restrained himself to just brushing his index finger across it.

Hux pressed a soft kiss to Poe’s finger while listening to his brother.

“Will you be here soon? And can you bring something for Mattie?”

“‘Mattie’?” Hux questioned, sitting up straight so quickly, Poe had to scramble off his lap to keep from being tossed to the floor.

Techie huffed a laugh. “Just bring me food, Kostya.”

Hux frowned. “I’ll be there soon. And Skywalker had better be in a _chair_.”

Techie laughed and ended the call.

“Cockblocked by my own brother,” Hux groaned.

Poe laughed. “Please, you don’t know cockblocking until you have a small child.”

“A small child is understandable; Techie does it just to be a little shit.”

“Come on; let’s get your brother’s things. The sooner we get him food, the sooner _we_ can have dinner.”

“And dessert?” Hux asked, caressing Poe’s cheekbone.

Poe smiled before kissing him softly. “One thing at a time.”

Hux groaned. “You are a terrible man,” he said. He turned and went to find Techie’s knapsack.

“I hear you like that in a man,” Poe called after him, straightening his shirt as he waited.

“Fucking Pava. I tell you, that woman needs a hobby besides gossiping,” Hux replied, waving the knapsack as he came back in the main room.

A piece of fabric flew out and landed on the floor in front of him.

Hux froze as he reached for the item of clothing.

Purple lacy panties.

“Oh, hell,” Hux said.

“What?” Poe asked, walking over to him.

Hux shook his head. “Sorry, my brain needed a second; to file these under Things I Did Not Want To Know About My Brother,” he said, shoving the panties back into the duffel.

“Are you offended by the panties?” Poe asked, voice and expression carefully neutral.

“No! Everyone has kinks. I just don’t need to know what gets my brother to his Happy Place.”

“Oh,” Poe said, relieved.

“Are _you_ offended by the panties?” Hux asked, more sharply than he intended.

“Not in any way.”

“Good.”

“Good,” Poe agreed.

“We should head back. Get Techie’s food ordered. Continue our date,” Hux said, moving to the door.

“Does that include finding out your kinks?”

Hux walked into the door.

Poe laughed as he helped him out of the room. “You make this too easy.”

Hux grumbled wordlessly, once again questioning his life choices.  
****

“I hear your father got a punch he very richly deserved,” Jess said as they entered the Elbow.

Hux huffed a sigh. “Pava, how the _hell_ do you get your information so quickly?”

“I withhold sex if Ben doesn’t keep me properly updated,” she replied.

“Fuck, I walked into that one.”

Jess grinned. “You certainly did.”

Hux shook his head as he settled on a barstool, tugging Poe down onto one beside him.

“Does it make you feel better or worse that I’m in regular contact with Matt?” Jess asked, waving her phone at him.

“Better?” Hux hazarded.

“Good answer.”

“Techie’ll want a double cheeseburger with extra pickles, and onion rings,” Hux said.

“No problem, as you well know,” Jess replied.

“Any way you can manage a blueberry milkshake?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Jess took in his slightly rumpled state. “Look, Matt texted me about 5 minutes ago that your brother had fallen asleep again. Why don’t the two of you grab one of the back tables and have something to eat?” she asked, handing them menus.

“If Matt texts?” Hux said.

“If he manages to get to me before Techie gets to you, I’ll make sure we have what we need to complete his order,” Jess promised.

Hux leaned over the bar and kissed her on the cheek. “You are better than any of us deserve.”

Jess blushed and playfully smacked at him. “Get out of here.”

Hux snatched up the menus and led Poe to one of the tables in the back.

“I’m sorry our dinner plans came to this,” Hux said as they looked over the menu. He smiled at some of the chef’s new menu items; and the names that Hux was pretty sure were developed under the influence of some serious mood-altering substances.

“I’m not sorry,” Poe replied.

“What?”

“Decide what you want first,” Poe admonished.

“All right, my lovelies, what’ll it be?” Lexie asked, appearing at the table. She set down two glasses of iced tea. 

Hux was unsurprised by this; he had long ago accepted that Lexie knew what it was you needed to drink, even if you didn’t. And it was easier to not argue with the young woman; Jess only hired eerily capable and somewhat scary employees.

“I’ll have my usual,” Hux said.

Lexie nodded as she wrote. “And you?” she asked Poe.

“I’ll have the, uh, ‘Burger That Doesn’t Belong to You’.”

“Nacho burger, got it,” Lexie said, and quickly nabbed the menus before disappearing.

“Why aren’t you sorry?” Hux asked.

Poe gave him a long look before smiling. “You showed up in my shop today to not just ask me out, but to invite my son along. And you offered to get your hands dirty and help me out with my work. Things intervened. I couldn’t have been mad about you putting off dinner; I wouldn’t have been mad if it was an emergency call-out because I understand about medical emergencies. But I relate to family emergencies even more. You didn’t get upset when I showed up at the hospital because my sister insisted it wasn’t creepy. And you shut down a truly _epic_ make-out session because your brother took precedence.”

“And?” 

“And it’s rare to meet a man like that. It’s nice.”

“Quiet now, he has a reputation to protect. Only a select few of us know he’s got a heart,” Jess said, taking a seat at the table. 

Hux resisted the very strong urge to bang his head on the table. “We may have to leave town to have a proper date,” he said to Poe.

Poe laughed.

Jess fondly ruffled Hux’s hair. “I’m sending Trixie to the market to get blueberries for Techie’s milkshake. Do you want me to have her grab anything else?”

“He’ll want strawberries for dessert,” Hux said, reaching for his wallet.

Jess waved him off. “The boy’s practically family. Lexie should be out before too long with your food.”

“Any word from Matt?” Hux asked.

“He thinks Techie will be waking up soon. He is apparently making--let me check,” she said, pulling out her phone, “ah, yes, ‘adorable snuffling noises’.” Jess shook her head, a smile on her lips. “These two are going to kill me with the cute.”

“We should get our food to go, then,” Poe said.

“Nope. Sit; eat. If he wakes up and wants food before you’re done, I can run the food over and let Techie and Matt know you’ll be along shortly,” Jess replied.

“Just make sure Techie is staying in bed. And that Skywalker _isn’t_ ,” Hux grumbled.

“Are you trying to say the Skywalker men aren’t gentlemen?”

“You don’t want to answer that,” Poe informed Hux.

“Yes, I am sensing that,” Hux agreed.

Jess laughed. “Believe me, if gentle giant was my type, I’d be married to a different Skywalker. Matt’s a good guy. But Ben is, well, my Ben.” She winked before sauntering off.

“She is equal parts terrifying and amazing, isn’t she?” Poe asked Hux.

Hux chuckled. “She is. There have been many times I’ve been exceedingly thankful for her friendship. And for the fact that she married Ren.”

“Even if that means Matt is single to chase after your brother?”

“Don’t push it, Dameron.”

Poe smiled. “Oh, I don’t know, Hux. Pushing you seems like it could be fun.”

“Order up!” Lexie said, cheerfully, sliding their plates onto the table.

“I’m starting to think there’s a camera on me,” Hux muttered.

“Nope. We just have excellent timing here at the Elbow,” Lexie replied. “Also, the universe hates you.”

“Tell your boss her turn will come,” Hux said.

“Not on a dare. Enjoy your dinner!”

“ _That’s_ your usual?” Poe asked, eyes wide as he took in Hux’s meal.

Hux looked at his dinner: a double cheeseburger, piled high with tomatoes, pickles, the chef’s secret sauce, and a fried egg; onion rings on the side. “Yes,” he replied. “Why?”

“I just…I figured you for a salad or turkey burger guy.”

“There is a time and a place for healthy eating,” Hux said, putting his napkin on his lap. “This is neither one.”

“Yeah, but you’re a heart surgeon. Shouldn’t you know better than to eat that?”

Hux moaned happily as he took his first bite of the burger.

Poe flushed. “Never mind. Let’s only ever eat here.”

Hux smiled as he licked special sauce off his thumb.

“You’re killing me, here,” Poe said. He lifted his own burger, ready to fake similar food appreciation noises if it was necessary.

It wasn’t.

Hux chuckled at Poe’s happy growling noises. “Jess managed to find the city’s best burger chef and convince him to work here. His other stuff’s good, too, but his burgers are unparalleled.”

“I want to marry him. You should not have brought me here on a date. I am leaving you for him.”

Hux waited until Poe had taken a few more bites before commenting.

“He’s married.”

“Well, dammit. Fine. I guess you’ll do, then.”

“Flatterer,” Hux said, then turned his attention back to his own burger bliss.

Poe hummed, but his foot rubbed gently against Hux’s leg.

Hux’s phone lit up on the table. He quickly wiped his fingers on his napkin and swept the screen.

“Techie’s awake,” Jess said, waving her phone as she arrived at the table. 

“I just got that,” Hux replied.

“And apparently my husband has been guarding the door to his room. Told you Skywalker men were gentlemen.”

“I’ll just get our food to boxed up,” Poe said, trying to wave down Lexie.

“You have time. Techie’s burger isn’t ready yet and Trixie is still cleaning the strawberries,” Jess replied. “Besides, you know how Techie will feel if he thinks it’s his fault you had to end your date early.”

“You do not play fair, Jessika,” Hux said.

“Nope. Finish your dinner. You can leave when Lexie brings out Matt and Techie’s dinners, and not a moment sooner.”

“Yes, sir!” Hux said.

Jess smacked him up the back of his head. She rubbed the tips of her fingers together. “Not much product today.” She looked at Poe. “We should keep you around.”

“Isn’t there a drink you should be mixing? Or a small fire in your kitchen?” Hux asked.

“Take it back and say you’re sorry,” she replied, eyes narrowing.

“I am really, really sorry. Please don’t tell Ren; he’ll be even more insufferable.”

“Fine. But you have to put some serious effort into romancing Poe in the time you have left.”

“I would if you and your eerily capable staff would give us five minutes of peace.”

Jess reached a hand into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a pack of gum. She set it next to Hux’s plate. “For the onions,” she said, then headed to the bar.

Hux blushed.

“Could you give me a piece? Mine had jalapeños on it,” Poe said.

Hux thought he might be in love.  
*****

“I can’t believe you got me a blueberry milkshake,” Techie said, talking around the straw.

Hux rolled his eyes. “Manners, Tech.”

Techie waved at the myriad machines he was connected to. “I have to spend the night in the hospital. Fuck manners.”

“Well, good to see you’re feeling better,” Hux said, taking over the chair Skywalker had been sitting in. At least, he had _better_ have been sitting in it.

Techie nodded, humming happily.

“We brought food for Matt, as well,” Poe said, tapping the containers on Techie’s roll-away tray.

“He can have it when he comes back from talking to Dr. Ren. We can eat together,” Techie replied. 

Hux reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Techie’s ear. “Are you feeling better at all, Tech?”

Techie sighed and took Hux’s hand. “I am. As much as I hate to admit it; you’re right. I should have come in right away. I knew Father wouldn’t be here. I just…”

They sat in silence for a few moments.

“I can leave you alone, if you’d like,” Poe said. He didn’t want to hinder a heart-to-heart between the brothers. His car was parked here at the hospital; he could just make his excuses and go.

“Please don’t! It’s nice to see Kostya with someone,” Techie said.

Poe smiled, while Hux blushed.

“Kostya, can you help me detach from enough sensors to get to the bathroom?” Techie asked.

Hux eyed the equipment and determined Techie could—briefly—be detached from everything but the IV; thankfully, that was a rolling stand.

“I’ll duck out and let the nurses know he’ll be offline. Don’t want to worry anyone,” Poe said.

“Thank you,” Hux replied.

Poe nodded. He wanted to give the brothers some time, but he also had visions of Matt Skywalker storming down the hall, throwing anyone and anything out of his way if he heard the monitors for Techie going haywire. Poe shuddered, remembering Ben’s rages and extrapolating to current bodily proportions.

Techie set his milkshake on the table and sat still while Hux detached the sensors. Hux helped him out of the bed and walked close to him while Techie made his way to the en suite bathroom, holding steadily onto the IV stand as he walked.

“I can take it from here,” Techie said, once they reached the toilet.

“Oh, of course,” Hux said, blushing. He backed out of the bathroom, pulling the door closed behind him.

“The nurses are alerted and there is yet no sign of Matt. I think he might be trying to give you and Techie some time,” Poe said as he came back into the room.

Hux rolled his eyes. “Not you, too. You’ve barely even met the man and you’re extolling his virtue.”

Poe smiled. “What can I say? I’m really good at reading people. Matt seems like a good guy; he’s got stars in his eyes for your brother; and I know the family pretty well—all good people,” Poe replied, counting the items off on his fingers.

“Damn it,” Hux said, his smile taking the bite out of his words.

“What?” Poe asked.

Hux walked over and put his hands on Poe’s hips. “You can’t be that logical and _wholesome_. It makes me want to do things I shouldn’t be doing in my brother’s hospital room.”

Poe leaned up to nip gently at Hux’s lower lip. “I’d like to hear about those things,” he whispered against Hux’s lips.

Hux bit back most—but not all—of his groan.

“Um, the walls in hospitals are very thin,” Techie called from inside the bathroom. 

Hux sighed. “Do you think Australia would be far enough away to have a regular date?”

“Are you kidding?” Techie asked, coming back into the room. “Do you know how many different things can kill you in Australia?”

“If I say no, are you going to list them?” Hux asked, helping Techie back into his bed.

“If listing them gets rid of you so I can have some quiet time with Mattie, then yes.”

“Sass. Where on earth did you learn so much sass?” Hux said, reattaching Techie’s leads.

“Someone had to take after Mum. You were always so _serious_. Still are, in fact. Are you going to help loosen him up, Poe? You’d be a hero,” Techie said to Poe.

“Don’t answer him. He is on drugs,” Hux stated.

Poe laughed. 

“Hey, the nurses said you got up,” Matt said, coming back into the room.

Hux couldn’t miss the way his brother’s eyes lit up.

“I did. Come on, have a seat. Kostya brought us food from the Elbow,” Techie said.

“Are you sure? You should probably rest,” Matt said, eyeing Hux warily.

Techie blushed and looked over to Hux.

Hux, who had never been able to deny his little brother anything. “Actually, Matt, I think Techie would sleep better knowing someone was here to make sure our father didn’t return. And since I can’t ask Ren to lurk outside all night—“

“And he has to take me back home so I can tuck my son into bed,” Poe interrupted.

“Yes,” Hux agreed. “If it’s not too much of an imposition, could you stay the night? I can relieve you in the morning.”

Matt beamed at him. “No problem, Dr. Hux. You can count on me.”

Hux nodded and bent to kiss Techie’s forehead. “You owe me,” he whispered.

Techie giggled and hugged his brother. “Thank you,” he replied.

Hux straightened and fixed Matt with a sharp glance. “Make sure he eats and _do not_ let him stay up all night. He needs his rest.”

“Yes, sir,” Matt replied.

Techie pouted a bit; he was a night owl, but if giving in to his brother’s demands meant more time with Matt…he decided not to protest.

“That’s what I thought,” Hux said, grinning at his brother.

Techie subtly flipped him off.

Hux clapped Matt a little harder on the shoulder than was strictly necessary. “The patient is all yours, Dr. Skywalker. I expect a full update in the morning.”

Matt, to his credit, didn’t flinch. “Of course. Have a good night, Dr. Hux.”

“Good night, Kostya!” Techie said, pointedly looking at the door.

Hux huffed a laugh and held the door open for Poe, casting one last smile at his brother before following Poe out into the hall.

Hux walked slowly toward the elevator, trying to convince himself he’d done the right thing and wasn’t just trying to leave to spend more time with Poe.

“You’re a good brother,” Poe said, taking Hux’s hand. He laced their fingers together and squeezed when Hux snorted at his words.

“Thank you. Shall I walk you to your car, then?”

Poe gave him a puzzled look.

“You said you had to get home to your son,” Hux prompted.

“Oh! He’s probably in bed by now. I’m sure he conned Finn into an extra story. I just wanted to give you an excuse to leave that didn’t involve you looking selfish in front of Skywalker.”

Hux stopped dead. “You did that for me?”

“Well, yeah, I—mph!”

Hux cut him off with a fast, hard kiss. “Thank you,” he said, pressing his forehead against Poe’s.

Poe took a moment to catch his breath. “Of course I did.”

“Dr. Hux, thank God!”

Hux groaned at the sound of Dr. Mitaka’s voice. The universe truly and deeply hated him.

“Yes, Dr. Mitaka,” Hux asked, turning to face the resident, but not letting go of Poe’s hand.

“I know you’re not on call, but Dr. Phasma said she thought you would be in the hospital and I’m so glad I found you and—“

“If you could get to the point sooner rather than later,” Hux prompted.

“Right! Guy came into the ER after a car accident. He got impaled by a pipe coming off a truck. It’s close to the aorta; Beckett is on call, but the last time he went into an OR with Phasma and Antilles…”

“Yes, yes, I remember. What OR?”

“Three. They’re prepping him now.”

“Tell Phasma I’ll be there momentarily.”

“Yes, sir!” Mitaka said, then ran for the stairwell.

“Come on, you can at least accompany me to the lounge while I grab some scrubs,” Hux said, pulling Poe into the open elevator.

Poe nodded to the other doctors in the elevator, and tried to appear not too conspicuously non-medical personnel.

Hux led him out of the elevator and down the hall to the attendings’ lounge. He entered his code on the keypad and moved inside, allowing the door to close behind them as he flicked on the light.

“Not what I was expecting,” Poe said, taking in his surroundings.

“Yeah, everyone expects something sterile. But attendings need somewhere calm to retreat to, and to get changed. It’s easier to relax here than in the on-call rooms,” Hux said, moving over to his wooden partition.

“Why is that?” Poe asked, settling into a comfy-looking armchair.

Hux looked over his shoulder as he unbuttoned his shirt. “There aren’t any beds in here.”

“And?”

Hux laughed, pulling off his shirt and reaching for a scrub top. Poe swallowed hard at the reveal of the smooth, slightly freckled expanse of Hux’s back.

“And beds are great for sleeping, but some staff members use them for other purposes. And I’m a light sleeper.”

“Other..oh.”

Hux smiled at him. “Yeah. Voyeurism: not one of my kinks.”

“Duly noted,” Poe said, nodding.

“Handsome, capable men with huge hearts, however, are absolutely one of my kinks,” Hux replied, walking over to him. He stepped between Poe’s legs and bent to kiss him. He buried his hands in Poe’s hair, taking his mouth in a demanding kiss, trusting Poe’s hands on his hips to keep him from crashing down onto the shorter man.

“Mmm,” Hux whispered against Poe’s lips before pulling back. “Yep, that’s just what I needed to take the edge off before going into surgery.”

“Holy crap, you’re a terrible person,” Poe said, shifting to get more comfortable in his suddenly restrictive jeans.

Hux laughed. “Yes, yes I am. But not completely cruel,” he said, grabbing scrub pants and stepping into the bathroom to change.

“That’s just mean!” Poe called after him.

Hux changed quickly; used to the rhythm and pull of the surgery cycle. He stepped back into the room, folded jeans in one hand, just as Mitaka entered the room. 

“Dr. Hux, Dr. Phasma said she is ready to scrub in and get started,” Mitaka said.

“I am on my way there,” Hux said, setting his jeans in his cubicle. He turned to Poe. “I’m sorry to do this, but is it all right if Mitaka shows you out?”

Poe rose from the chair. “Of course. You’ll call me tomorrow?”

“Count on it. Mitaka?”

“Sir?”

“Join us in the OR once Me. Dameron has made it out of the hospital.” With a last, longing look at Poe, he hurried out of the room.

“Tell me, Mitaka, do most surgeons keep extra changes of clothes in their areas?” Poe asked, wandering over to Hux’s cubicle.

“Yes?” Mitaka replied, unsure.

“Uh-huh. Yep, extra pants.” Poe carefully took the wallet and keys out of Hux’s pants and tucked them into Hux’s neatly folded shirt. He then picked up Hux’s jeans before turning to Mitaka.

“Okay, Dr. Mitaka, I’m ready to go.”

“B-but, those are Dr. Hux’s pants.”

“I am aware. Call it petty payback.”

“But he’ll know I let you take them.”

Poe threw his arm around Mitaka’s shoulders. “Mitaka, buddy, don’t worry.”

Mitaka’s shoulders relaxed.

“I’ll tell him I hit you.”

Mitaka yelped.


	7. Increased Heart Rates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hux and Poe, and Techie and Matt, have a very interesting morning.

“You stole his pants,” Rey said, slowly. 

They were all still in their pajamas, enjoying a lazy Sunday morning before having to get BB ready for Sunday school and church with his grandparents.

Poe shot a quick look at BB, who was happily dredging his pieces of waffle through a river of syrup, accompanied by appropriate boat and drowning sounds, before answering.

“I checked to be sure he had another pair he could wear home,” Poe defended himself.

“And then you _stole his pants_ ,” Rey confirmed.

“I borrowed them,” Poe hedged.

Rey sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Borrowed them, huh? Because you wanted to see how they fit you? Why don’t you model them for us?”

Finn, who had been silently watching the verbal tennis match, choked on his orange juice.

“You okay, there, buddy?” Poe asked.

“Fine,” BB said, shoving a bite that was more syrup than waffle into his mouth.

“He was talking to me, BB,” Finn said, ruffling the boy’s curls.

BB shrugged and went back to his waffles.

“Rey,” Poe began.

“Nope. If you just borrowed them, I want to see how they look on you,” Rey said. “Give us a show.”

“That’s weird. I’m practically your brother!”

Rey shrugged. “I helped you pick out your outfit the other night.”

“She has a point,” Finn replied.

Poe was grasping for something to say. He had related the story of the stolen jeans to Rey, thinking her mischievous streak would allow her to find the humor in this. He did not expect her to turn on him. Clearly, he should not construct plans before coffee…

“ _Abuelo_!” BB shouted when the doorbell rang.

“Boy, did you get lucky,” Finn muttered as Rey helped BB out of his chair.

“Don’t I know it,” Poe replied.

“Where is my _nieto_?” Kes said as he entered the house. The ringing of the doorbell was a formality; friends and family had keys and could come and go as they pleased.

“Here! _Aquí_!” BB shouted, struggling to get out of Rey’s arms. She barely managed to get the syrup off BB’s hands before he tore out of the room.

“I think we should ask your dad what he thinks,” Rey said, with a smirk.

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would like to remind both of you of the ‘Don’t Drag Kes Into It’ Accords of 2014,” Finn said.

“Ah, Finn, you were always the most level-headed of my children,” Kes Dameron said as he entered the room, BB on his back.

“That hurts, Pop,” Poe said.

“It hurts because it’s true,” Rey said over her shoulder as she moved to give Kes a hug.

“How are you, _novio_?” Kes asked, kissing Rey on the cheek.

“I’m doing all right. School is kicking my butt,” she replied, taking BB off his grandfather’s back and settling him back into his highchair.

“Don’t listen to her; she’s ahead of the curve,” Finn said, getting his own hug from Kes.

“I figured she was being humble. Unlike my other children,” Kes replied, dragging Poe into a tight hug to lessen the snark in his words.

“The only one to give you an adorable grandchild and you treat me like this?” Poe laughed.

“You’ve only given me _one_ ,” Kes replied, sitting down at the table.

“To be fair, there are three of us, and we can barely keep up with _one_ Dameron grandchild,” Finn said.

“The second one will be easier,” Kes said.

“Lies,” Poe stated, “Mom told me so.”

Kes laughed.

Poe stretched, grinning. “I have done my duty; it’s up to these two to present the next Dameron grandbabies.”

“Not until you graduate,” Kes said, fiercely, pointing a finger at Rey.

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

“You don’t have to worry about Rey, Pop, she’s not even dating,” Finn said, mussing Rey’s hair.

Rey glared at him, then smiled in a way that terrified Finn. She turned in her chair to face Kes. “Unlike _this one_ ,” she began, tilting her head toward Finn, “who has ‘concerned parents’ throwing themselves at him left and right.”

Poe grinned, glad for the attention to be off him. “Yeah, you’d think that all Finn’s students came from single-parent homes.”

“Or polyamorous ones!” Rey piped up.

Finn glared at his siblings. 

“Oh, lay off Finn. It’s not his fault he’s got such a sunny personality,” Kes said.

Poe clapped him on the shoulder. “Yep, pretty sure it’s yours.”

Finn opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted by the doorbell. He frowned in confusion.

“Who rings our doorbell?” Rey asked, her frown matching Finn’s.

Poe’s eyes widened, and he ran for the front door before Finn and Rey could. He briefly noticed they weren’t following him, but didn’t have time to fully worry about that. He flung open the door to find Hux standing there, his arms folded across his chest, his rolled-up sleeves showing off his toned forearms.

“Well?” Hux asked.

“You know, friends and family can just knock,” Poe replied, smiling.

“Which am I, now that you’ve _stolen my pants_?”

Poe took Hux’s arm. “Why don’t we discuss this inside? The neighbors are nosy.”

Hux strode into the house, noting that it was warm and cozy; so unlike the home he’d grown up in. 

“The kitchen is straight ahead. You’re just in time for breakfast,” Poe said, as he followed him.

“I’ll just take some coffee. I was up all night in a rather tense surgery, only to finish and realize someone had stolen my pan—hello, people I don’t know,” he finished, freezing just inside the kitchen.

“Rude,” BB said, around the piece of waffle his mouth.

Hux took a breath. “That is correct; I was rude when we first met. However, it is also rude to talk with your mouth full.”

“Don’t do it,” Poe said from behind Hux.

BB looked mutinous, but closed his mouth and swallowed his bite, rather than spitting it out onto his tray.

An older man, whom Hux guessed was Poe’s father, due to the more-than-passing-resemblance, laughed as he got to his feet.

“I’m Kes Dameron,” he said, holding out his hand.

“Dr. Konstantin Hux,” Hux replied, automatically shaking it.

“Now, what’s this about my son stealing something?”

Hux dropped the man’s hand like it was on fire. “Sorry, just a misunderstanding. You are clearly having some sort of intimate gathering. I’ll just be on my way,” he said, backing up.

Poe caught Hux just before he bumped into him, steering the taller man to an empty chair with a hand on his lower back.

“Sorry, Hux, no one gets out of a Dameron family breakfast that easily,” Poe said.

“Family?” Hux asked, slightly bewildered.

“Well, I can only take credit for the ‘nature’ part for Poe; but my wife and I nurtured all three of them,” Kes explained.

Ah, found family; Hux was familiar with that. “I’m sorry, I haven’t known Poe long enough for him to talk about the two of you,” he said to the other man and woman in the room.

“I’m Rey," the young woman reminded him, "and this is Finn."

“It’s nice to meet you,” Finn said, setting a cup of coffee in front of Hux. “Black, I presume?”

“Thank you,” Hux said, his tone heartfelt. He hadn’t been kidding about the intensity of the surgery. He drank quietly, fully aware of the four pairs of eyes staring at him—BB had returned his attention to his breakfast.

“Well, I just stopped by to pick up BB to take him to Sunday school and mass,” Kes said, standing. “Come on, _nieto_ , let’s get you cleaned up before church. Your _abuela_ won’t forgive me if we don’t present well.”

BB held his arms up, finished demolishing his waffles. “School!” he cheered.

“Yeah, kid, we’ll see how you feel about it in a few years,” Rey said, smiling.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing, young lady, it’s your turn to help with the class,” Kes said.

Rey gulped down the last of her orange juice, then hurried out of the kitchen to get ready.

“And what are you doing?” Kes asked Finn.

Finn leaned back in his chair, holding his coffee mug to his chest, and _smiling_. “I am going to wait here and hear that tale of the pants.”

Kes stared hard at him.

“I am going to help you get my nephew ready for church and then I am going to make myself scarce,” Finn amended.

“Good man,” Kes said, as Finn walked by him. “Gentlemen, I leave you to it. Dr. Hux, I hope you’ll join us for a meal some time. I’m sure Shara would love to meet you.”

“Thank you, sir,” Hux said, furiously cursing his coloring, which gave him no way to mask the blush creeping up his cheeks.

Kes nodded before he left the room, speaking to BB in rapid-fire Spanish.

“Is he pressing your son for details about me?” Hux asked Poe.

Poe sat beside him and put his hand over Hux’s. “BB’s an easy mark; he’ll have spilled his guts by the time they reach the stairs.”

Hux groaned and hid his face behind his hand.  
*****

“You snore.”

Matt grunted and worked his jaw as he came awake. His mouth was dry, which meant he’d been sleeping with his mouth open.

“Sorry,” Matt said, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He fumbled in his scrubs pocket for his glasses and put them on, smiling as Techie came into focus.

The redhead had raised the back of his bed so he was almost sitting up, his epic bedhead softened by the smile on his face.

“It’s okay,” Techie said. “I liked hearing it; I knew I wasn’t alone.”

Matt chuckled. “No one has ever admitted to liking my snoring before.”

“Oh?” Techie asked, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “And have there been a lot of people with the opportunity to hear it?”

Matt blushed, but decided to meet Techie on his own terms. There was something about the man that appealed to Matt, and not just on a protective level. 

Matt smirked at Techie. “Loads of people.”

“ _Loads_? Really?”

Matt suddenly realized he might be outclassed. “Loads,” he agreed, nodding. Just because he was outclassed didn’t mean he would back down. “Family members, roommates, the occasional overnight guest.”

“Only occasional?”

“Yes.”

Techie licked his lips. “And are any of those occasional guests currently able to hear you snore?”

“No.”

“Then pulmonary embolism aside, this is my lucky day.”

Matt laughed and stood up, groaning slightly as he worked out the kinks caused by folding his large frame into the small chair.

“Speaking of which, rounds are bound to start any minute. Would you like me to help you to the bathroom before they descend upon you for poking and prodding?” Matt asked, standing by Techie’s hip.

Techie’s grin was pure sin. “That depends, are you offering to do any poking and prodding while I’m in there?”

Matt took Techie’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “If I help poke and prod you, then I am engaging in rounds, that makes me responsible for your medical care. If I’m responsible for your medical care, I’m not allowed to help you bathe later.”

“I have never wanted a sponge bath more in my life,” Techie confessed.

“Man, I did not need to walk in on that confession,” Kylo admitted as he walked in the room.

Matt blushed furiously, but he didn’t let go of Techie’s hand.

“What brings you here, Dr. Ren? I know I’m a bit small, but I assure you, I am not in need of a pediatric surgeon,” Techie said.

“I told Mitaka I’d come in first; he didn’t want to walk in on something he’d have to explain to Hux,” Kylo explained.

“So you volunteered, _hoping_ you’d have something to explain to Hux,” Matt said.

“You know me so well.”

“Is Kostya here yet?” Techie inquired.

“Nope,” Kylo said, settling into the chair Matt had vacated.

Matt took the opportunity to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Where is he? Is everything okay?” Techie asked.

“He’s fine. He had a late night with an emergency surgery. He texted me on his way to get breakfast,” Kylo explained.

“Is he getting breakfast with the dishy man from last night?”

“I am sitting right here,” Matt grumbled.

“And Kylo is sitting right there. And I am snuggled up with you. So let Kylo answer the question.”

Kylo smiled as he watched the two men; it reminded him of the banter he had with his own wife. 

“I think he was probably going to see Poe. Mitaka said something about some missing pants. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a very busy day ahead of me, saving the lives of small humans,” Kylo said, hauling himself out of the chair. “Mitaka should be in here to round on you in about 15 minutes. Try not to scar the poor man any more, will you?”

“I make no promises,” Matt stated.

Kylo chuckled as he left the room.

Techie grabbed his bag and started searching for his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I need to know what happened to Kostya’s pants,” Techie explained.

“Can’t you find out after rounds? Or do you want Mitaka and the others to see your drool-stained face?”

“What? Where?” Techie said, feeling around his face. He felt the tell-tale dryness on the side of his mouth and cheek. “Ew.”

Matt laughed softly as he unhooked Techie from everything but his IV. Techie slung his bag over his shoulder and walked to the bathroom, one hand holding the IV stand and the other holding the back of his gown closed. Matt walked slowly behind him, just in case he needed help.

“I’ll be right out. If you’d just wait to be sure no one comes rushing in?” Techie asked.

“Are you sure you’ll be all right alone?” Matt asked, genuinely concerned.

“Yes. I just want to freshen up; I’d prefer you to see the finished product without knowing what went into it.”

“Fair,” Matt said, nodding. “But you call me if you start getting dizzy or short of breath, or anything feels off.”

“I promise,” Techie said, squeezing Matt’s hand before closing the bathroom door.

Matt waited patiently, keeping his ear out for the slightest sound of distress from inside the bathroom. He heard water running and the rustling of fabric, but nothing that caused him to think Techie was having problems.

“Okay, I am ready for the torture of rounds,” Techie said as he opened the door. “Could you carry my bag?”

Matt gladly took the item, allowing Techie to walk in front of him. It took him a moment for his brain to process what he was seeing.

“Are those purple lace undies?!”  
****

“Would you like something to eat? I take it you came directly here from the hospital,” Poe said, once the madness that was his family leaving for church had died down.

“Recognized the pants from my cubby, did you?” Hux asked.

“In my defense, I am really bad at math.”

Hux shook his head. “I am far too tired to parse that.”

Poe chuckled. “At the time, taking your pants was a calculated risk. But I forgot that I am really, really bad at math.”

“Says the man who used to be a paramedic.”

“That’s different; that’s medicine. This is…social math.”

Hux rubbed both hands over his face. “I need sleep before having this conversation, so I have the mental capacity to properly participate in it.”

“That’s fair,” he said, rising from his chair.

Hux quickly finished his second cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine was enough to get him home. He needed to feed Millicent and then sleep for at least six hours straight. He allowed Poe to put his hand on his back to steer him toward the door.

He made a confused sound as Poe turned them before reaching the door.

“You said you needed to sleep,” Poe said, guiding him up the stairs.

“Oh,” Hux said, softly, his brain finally catching up as Poe led him into a bedroom.

Poe led him to the bed, and Hux barely needed encouragement to sit on it once Poe had pulled the covers back. Poe knelt down and helped him out of his boots and socks.

“Sorry,” Hux muttered, knowing his feet couldn’t smell good after hours in those socks.

“I have a small child; mild foot funk is nothing,” Poe replied. He leaned up between Hux’s legs and reached for his belt.

Hux cupped Poe’s cheek in his hand. “If you steal these, too, I’ll have to run around in my underwear. It will hardly aide my reputation.”

Poe turned his head and kissed Hux’s fingertips. “I think your reputation could do with a little loosening up.”

Hux yawned. “I need to stay above reproach. Can’t let people think I’m like my father,” he said, pulling his hand from Poe to cover his mouth as he yawned again.

Poe, with a little help from Hux, managed to get Hux’s pants off and placed on a chair. 

“Not yet,” Poe said softly as Hux started to lean down onto the bed. He moved back to Hux and unbuttoned Hux’s shirt, frowning when he found not the bare chest he was expecting, but a soft t-shirt.

Hux chuckled as he helped Poe slide the shirt off his shoulders and down his arm. “Forgot to put this on under the scrubs before surgery. I get a little sensitive after hours in the OR.”

“Is that the only time?” Poe asked, helping Hux to lie down and tucking him in.

“Hmm…you could join me and find out,” Hux replied, sleepily patting the bed beside him.

Poe did some quick math in his head. He had at least three hours until Rey and his parents returned with BB; more if Kes and Shara stretched out play time and took Rey and BB for lunch. Plus, Finn was downstairs in his own room, so he could handle getting BB down for his afternoon nap.

His decision made, Poe went to his bedroom door, closing and locking it; BB was just tall enough to reach the handle if he stood on tip-toe, and had no compunctions about using his weight to pull the handle down and push the door open.

Poe turned off the overhead light, allowing the warm light filtering through the curtains to light the room. He moved quietly to the bed, standing for a moment to stare down at Hux, whose eyes were only half open. He smiled at Poe, his features soft and welcoming.

“I’d like to watch you operate some time,” he said, slipping into bed beside Hux.

“Why? Do you have a doctor kink? Should I have shown up in my scrubs?” Hux asked, sliding his arm around Poe’s waist and pulling him close to him.

“I like the white coats better. I like the contrast between them and my skin tone,” Poe replied, taking Hux’s upper arm in his hand to demonstrate.

Hux let out a noise that—were he more awake—he would have denied was a whimper. The dark tan of Poe’s hand did look amazing next to his pale skin.

“I don’t wear the white coat when I operate,” Hux said, nuzzling against Poe’s cheek.

“Mm-hm,” Poe replied, pressing soft kisses to Hux’s nose and cheekbone. He rubbed his face against Hux’s beard, thinking he could get used to it; wondering how it would feel against his thighs.

“So why do you want to watch me operate?”

Poe leaned back just enough so he could meet Hux’s sleepy gaze.

“I want to see what you look like when you are completely focused on just one thing.”

Something flashed in Hux’s eyes, and he pulled Poe more tightly against him as he took his mouth in a passionate kiss. Poe moaned into the kiss, parting his lips to allow Hux access. Hux’s tongue teased against his own, exploring his mouth with a single-minded fervor.

Poe lamented the fact that he needed air, breaking the kiss, but not moving from Hux’s embrace.

“You taste like syrup and warmth,” Hux said, fighting back a yawn.

Poe laughed. “You taste like coffee and determination.”

“I’ll show you determination,” Hux said, tilting his head to nip at Poe’s neck.

Poe sighed and leaned his head back, allowing Hux access. He noted that the licks and nips became less precise rather quickly, and soon Hux’s breath was moving across his neck in longer intervals. He pressed a kiss to Hux’s temple, made sure the other man could breathe with his face pressed against Poe’s neck, then got comfortable enough to fall asleep in Hux’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for clarification, Kes and Shara formally adopted Finn after he had been in their care for a few years. Due to issues with Rey's parents' paternal rights being severed, they couldn't actually adopt her, but they did raise her as though they had.


	8. The "I Want" Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which disaster strikes, but good things come in the aftermath. (No permanent harm is caused to any of our beloved characters.)

Hux drifted awake slowly. He was comfortably warm, but there was a cool pillowcase nestled under his cheek. His brain went through a list of things he had to do, and he realized he had nowhere to be, so it was all right that he was sleeping in. About two seconds later, he realized he was _not_ in his own bed and he was _not_ alone. He then remembered whose bed he was in and fought hard against waking up. Waking up meant he’d have to get dressed and talk and behave like a grown up. All things considered, he really wanted to stay asleep.

“You have the most adorable ‘I Want’ line.”

Hux opened his eyes at the sound of Poe’s voice. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts; Poe’s face was only a few inches from his own, resting on another pillow. 

“What?” Hux asked, not wanting to move. Poe’s feet were tangled with his and the other man’s hand was on his side, his thumb gently rubbing just beneath Hux’s ribs.

“An ‘I Want’ line,” Poe said, lifting his hand.

Hux almost— _almost_ —whimpered at the loss, until Poe was gently stroking his index finger between Hux’s brows. And then he barely bit back the whimper.

Poe chuckled as Hux went slightly cross-eyes trying to follow his finger. “BB gets it too, just before he announces something he wants, and just can’t function without. Although, he often makes the announcement more with sounds and hand gestures, rather than actual words.”

Hux chuckled and pressed his face into the pillow, causing Poe’s hand to skim over his cheek and settle on his neck. Hux may or may not have purred.

“Ah, I see BB is not the only one who prefers non-verbal communication,” Poe whispered. “What was it you wanted?”

Hux looked at Poe and smiled softly. “I wanted to not wake up for a bit, so I could stay here with you. I didn’t want to have to be responsible.”

“In this house, we call that ‘adulting’.”

Hux groaned. “I suppose that means you also forward amusing memes throughout the day.”

“Mostly just photos of BB being ridiculously adorable.”

“That’s fair,” Hux admitted. BB was an uncommonly adorable child.

“ _Maybe_ the occasional dick pic.”

“ _Jayzus!_ ” Hux exclaimed.

Poe’s grin was positively filthy. “Too soon?”

“Too early. I’m not quite awake yet,” Hux replied, scrambling for an answer as he blushed.

“You—you’re _bad_ at this!” Poe said, pushing himself up on his elbow. “Am I the first person to discover that Konstantin Hux is actually _bad_ at something?”

Hux grimaced. “Unfortunately, it is a rather widely-known fact that I am terrible at flirting.”

Poe propped himself up on his elbow. “Is it just flirting if I intend to follow through on it?”

“Please, Jesus, do not send me a dick pic. I have residents look at my phone if it goes off during surgery. I do not need the man I’m dating scarring them for life.”

Poe laughed.

“And I _certainly_ don’t need the meeting with Organa and HR that would follow,” he continued, his eyes narrowed.

Poe’s laughter was choked off.

“Yeah, you didn’t think about that, did you? Leia Organa having to have a meeting about a picture of her son’s childhood friend’s dick.”

Poe put his hand over his heart. “I solemnly swear I will not send you a picture of my dick.”

“That’s all I ask,” Hux said, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Poe’s mouth.

“How about—”

Hux put his fingertips over Poe’s lips. “Nothing you don’t want Organa to see.”

Poe smirked and nipped lightly at Hux’s fingers. “What do you have to do today?”

“Trying to get rid of me already? Was it my morning breath?”

“You snore.”

“I do _not_!”

Poe had to laugh at Hux’s indignant expression. 

“Why am I in bed with you?” Hux asked, sleepily disgruntled.

“Because you were exhausted and I stole your pants.”

Hux huffed a laugh. “Right. I knew there had to be a good reason.”

Poe leaned closer. “That, and I am devastatingly handsome, intelligent, good with my hands, and just the kind of down-to-earth goodness you need in your life.”

Hux’s grin faltered. He didn’t like that Poe, who had spent a handful of hours in his company, could read him so well.

“Hey,” Poe said, softly, pushing Hux’s hair back from his forehead. “What is it?”

Hux shook his head and pressed closer, taking Poe’s lips in a soft kiss that quickly turned passionate. He rolled the other man onto his back, shifting to straddle his hips.

Poe gasped as Hux broke the kiss, before sitting up to pull his t-shirt off. Poe skimmed his hands up Hux’s pale torso, biting back a moan at the feel of soft skin under his hands. Hux’s nipples were still slightly red from the irritation of his scrub top, and Poe longed to kiss them better.

Hux smirked, seeming to know what was going through Poe’s mind. He took Poe’s hands and settled them on his chest. “Gently,” he cautioned.

Poe nodded, gently sliding the pads of his thumbs over Hux’s nipples. Hux sighed, arching his back to press harder into Poe’s touch. Poe moaned and wrapped one arm around Hux’s waist to hold him steady as he sat up. He looked up into Hux’s eyes, his fingertip gently circling Hux’s nipple as he waited for Hux to give him permission.

Hux carded his fingers through Poe’s hair, luxuriating in the feel of the curls wrapping around his fingers, seeming to beg him to stay. Hux sucked in a harsh breath as Poe kissed his nipple, softly, with just enough pressure to make his presence known.

“Okay?” Poe asked, his breath warm against Hux’s skin.

“More,” Hux ordered. 

Poe chuckled before nipping at the edge of Hux’s areola. He quickly soothed the sting of the nip with a lick, causing Hux’s breath to catch in his throat. Poe’s fingers dug into the flesh of Hux’s back, holding him close as Poe teased him with gentle kisses and quick licks.

“Poe,” Hux gasped. “Shit, yes, _please_!” He used the hand buried in Poe’s hair to pull the other man’s head back. “Tell me that door is still locked.”

Poe nodded slowly, a grin on his face.

Hux promptly leaned forward and kissed the grin off his face. He gentled the passionate kiss for only a moment, his tongue carefully skating across Poe’s lips, begging entry. Poe opened to him on a moan, letting go of Hux just long enough to try to strip off his own shirt. Hux growled as he was forced to break the kiss for Poe to take off his shirt. He tore the offending garment from Poe’s grip and tossed it away, before threading his fingers into Poe’s hair, tilting the other man’s head back to take his mouth in another kiss.

Poe groaned, the sensation of Hux’s bare skin against his own driving him to distraction. _Finally_ , he thought, utterly losing himself to the sensations.

He didn’t notice the beeping until Hux groaned, and not in the I-am-thoroughly-enjoying-this-don’t-stop way.

“No, no, no,” Poe chanted as Hux lifted himself off the bed to scramble for his pants.

“It’s the hospital,” Hux said, retrieving his phone and sitting back on the bed.

Poe pressed himself against Hux’s back, trailing soft kisses over his shoulders.

Hux hummed as he answered the phone. “Hux,” he said, sharply. “This had better—what?! What? When? No, no, I’m not that far. Yes, of _course_ I’ve slept. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“What is it?” Poe asked.

“Is BB back?” Hux asked, throwing on his clothes.

“I didn’t hear them come in. I was asleep,” Poe replied.

Hux paused and sat beside Poe. “There was an explosion at Pancake Patty’s.”

Poe’s eyes widened. Pancake Patty’s was a local mom-and-pop place; it was an extremely popular destination for post-church breakfast and lunch. BB loved their hash browns.

Poe hopped off the bed and ran for the door. He unlocked it and threw it open, running into the hall. “Finn!”

“What?” Finn called from the bottom of the stairs.

“Is BB back?”

“No; your parents took him to lunch. They called about an hour ago.”

“Where?” Poe demanded, running down the stairs, trying desperately to remember where his phone was.

“What’s happened?” Finn asked, following him.

“There was an explosion at Pancake Patty’s,” Poe said, gasping as he found his phone. His fingers shook as he tried to get through his contacts. “Damn it.”

“Here,” Finn said, holding out his own phone. Poe saw his mother’s name lit up with _Dialing_ underneath.

He pressed the phone to his ear, praying.

“Hello?”

“Mamá,” Poe said, the sound more a sob than a word.

“Poe? What is it? Is everything all right?” Shara Bey asked.

Poe sniffed as he laughed, hearing BB talking in the background. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Where are you guys?”

“We’re at the park, exhausting your son. Rey said you might appreciate a little extra time this today.”

“Okay, okay good.”

“Poe, what’s going on?” Shara demanded.

“There was an explosion at Pancake Patty’s. Hux got called in…” Poe trailed off as he realized Hux was standing in the kitchen, listening. “Hold on, Ma.”

“They’re all right?” Hux asked.

“Yes.”

“Good. I have to go. I’ll call you later.”

Poe nodded and watched Hux walk away.

“Poe Rigoberto Dameron!”

Poe winced as his mother shouted through the phone. “Yes, sorry.”

“Did you just send your doctor away?”

“He needs to go save some lives, Ma.”

Shara sighed, and Poe just knew she was rolling her eyes at him. “Poe, darling, dearest, favorite fruit of my womb.”

“Ma!”

“We’ll be home soon. After you snuggle your son, and are satisfied he is safe, you are going to that hospital to check on your man,” Shara ordered.

“He’s not my—what has Rey been telling you?”

“My darling BB has told me all about your ‘rude’ ginger.”

Poe groaned. “All right, all right. I know when I’m beaten. Give BB a hug for me, and I’ll see all of you soon.”  
*****

Hux parked his car behind The Elbow, knowing that trying to get close to park at the hospital would be an exercise in frustration. He sprinted over to the hospital; years of experience and training allowing him to dodge vehicles and people rushing to the hospital; not because they needed care, but because they were looking for loved ones. He quickly made his way to the ambulance bay, which was full of ambulances divesting themselves of the wounded.

“Hux!” Dr. Organa shouted.

He ran to her side. “Where do you need me?”

“I need you in OR Three. They’re prepping the patient right now,” she replied.

Hux started to move, but was stopped by an iron grip on his bicep. 

“No, sorry, Dr. Organa, but I need Hux,” Kein said, pulling Hux back toward an ambulance.

“There is a patient in the OR!” Hux protested.

“And it’s something Kallus can handle!” Kein said, referring to Hux’s cardio attending. 

“Organa!”

“Leia, Rose is bringing in a guy with what we think is part of the oven impacted in his chest and abdomen. I _need_ Hux,” Kein said.

“Go, I’ll page Kallus; he’s doing triage in the ER,” Organa said.

“ _Need_ me, huh?” Hux asked, as he and Kein ran for the newly-arrive ambulance.

“Believe me, I wanna take it back,” Kein called over his shoulder.

They skidded to a halt behind the ambulance, only to have Rose, Hux’s favorite paramedic, leap out, rattling off the patient’s stats.

“Get me Mitaka!” Hux shouted to the nearest intern.

“And I want Syndulla!” Kein added.

“You can have Little Tarkin. If you’re going to be in an OR, I need Syndulla running triage,” Organa replied.

“Fine!” Kein said. He grinned at Hux. “Looks like we’re spending the day together,” Kein said, helping Rose pull the gurney out of the ambulance.

“Just start running,” Hux said, grabbing one side of the gurney.  
*****

Matt’s phone started blaring at them.

“Are we under attack?” Techie asked.

“Sorry,” Matt said, picking up the phone, “it’s my aunt’s ringtone. What is it?” he asked, answering the call. He paused to listen, his face going pale. “On my way.”

“Is everything okay?” Techie asked.

“Very much not,” Matt said, putting his phone in his pocket. “We’ve got mass casualties coming in. They need me down in radiology; it’s all hands on deck.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Matt leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Stay in bed. Follow doctor’s orders. Hux and I can’t be worrying about you right now, okay?”

Techie nodded. He reached up and pulled Matt down for a kiss. “Go, be amazing.”

Matt blushed. “I’ll come see you as soon as I can.”

Techie had the good grace to wait until the door closed behind Matt to fire up his laptop. He scrolled through his news feed until he found what he was looking for. “Oh, my. Oh, no,” he whispered as he read.

He grabbed his phone and went quickly through his contacts. “Hi, Jess, it’s Techie.”

“Techie! How are you feeling?” she replied.

“I’m okay. Listen, do you have the news on?”

“No. Ben had surgeries today, so I was having a lie-in.”

“There was an explosion at a Pancake Patty’s. Mattie said they are bringing in mass casualties.”

“Oh, gods. It’s Sunday, that means families. Children,” she said.

“That’s why I called you.”

“Okay. Is Ben still in surgery with the Kepner boy?”

Techie quickly hacked the hospital files. “Yeah. He’s been in a little over two hours.”

“Okay. What OR is he in?”

“Um…Four.”

“I’m leaving now. I’ll call some of the gang in to The Elbow, start getting prepped for overflow from the hospital and call-in orders. If Ben gets out of surgery before I get there, call me.”

Techie nodded, then realized she couldn’t see him. “I will.”

“I mean it, Tech. If he’s going to be bombarded with children as trauma patients, I need to be there. He’ll need to know I’m there.”

“I promise, Jess.”

“Okay. And Techie?”

“Yes?”

“‘Mattie’?”

Techie blushed. “Shut up.”

“I’ll be by later, and I expect details.”

Techie groaned and hung up on her. He’d pay for it later, but that was later. He set the phone down and started digging through the hospital’s system to find out who was being assigned where.  
****

“Dr. Ren, are you almost finished?”

Kylo didn’t glance up from his suturing. “I’ve just begun to close, Dr. Organa. Do you need the OR?”

“Yes, but I also need you. Can your resident finish?”

Kylo stared across the table at Dr. Revan, whose dark eyes didn’t flinch. “Dr. Revan, I have just spent my morning changing this kid’s life. Don’t undo all my good work,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

Kylo stepped away from the table and followed his mother into the scrub room. “What’s happened? Is it Jess? Is Jess okay!” he asked, starting to get panicked.

Leia held her hands up. “It’s not Jess. There was an explosion at Pancake Patty’s. Patients are starting to pour in and, while your attending and residents have been handling it, we need you down there.”

“How many kids?” he asked, stripping off his surgical gown and gloves.

“Five so far; most of them were easily handled in the trauma rooms. Syndulla says she’s got a patient you need to see right away,” she replied, leading him out into the hall.

“Why is Syndulla running the trauma? Where’s Antilles?”

“He’s in OR One with Hux.”

“We should take the stairs, it’s faster,” he said, as Leia pressed the button for the elevator.

“I need the time to brief you.”

“Just give me the chart,” he said, holding his hand out for the tablet.

“No. If I give you this, you’re going to search for the other pediatric patients, and I need you focused on _this one_.”

Kylo opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off by the sight that greeted him when the elevator doors opened.

“Oh, good, I caught you,” Jess said.

“How?” Kylo asked.

Jess drew him into the elevator and her arms. “I have my methods.”

“Lovely to see you, Jess, but I need to brief him,” Leia said.

Jess nodded and stepped back, but held onto Kylo’s hand.

“Patient is 12 years old,” Leia began.  
****

“What’s next?” Hux asked, tearing off his mask. He had just finished working on his third patient; he had lost the second one.

“Dr. Ren has a ten-year-old he just took into OR 4; he’s requested a cardio consult,” Mitaka said.

“How many has he had?”

“This is his fifth, if you count his non-emergency surgery this morning.”

“Has he lost any?” Hux asked, entering the scrub room off OR 4.

“Two,” Mitaka said, quietly.

Hux nodded. “Is Jess here?”

“I don’t know.”

Hux started scrubbing. “Find out. Then you can join us.”

“Yes, sir,” Mitaka replied.

Hux finished his pre-op ablutions and strolled into the OR. “What have you got for me, Ren?” he asked as a nurse helped him into a surgical gown and gloves.

“I’ve got a ten year old with a hole in her aorta.”

“Then let’s get to work. Ten blade,” he said to the nurse.  
*****

Two hours later, Hux looked across the table at Kylo. “I think we can let Syndulla finish here.”

“I’m almost done,” Kylo replied, not looking up.

“You’ve been operating all day. Syndulla’s been in The Pit. Let her get some stitches in. You good, Hera?” he asked Syndulla.

“Yes, sir. Dr. Ren?”

Ren glared at Hux. “I’m fine.”

“We should go update her parents. They’ll want to hear the good news.”

“You can do it.”

“Kylo.”

Kylo growled at Hux, then froze. He took a deep breath to center himself. “Okay. Okay, yeah.”

“Dr. Syndulla, we leave the patient in your care,” Hux said, once Kylo had left the OR.

She nodded as she took over the final steps of the surgery.

“I’m not going to thank you,” Kylo said when Hux entered the scrub room.

“You should go home. You’ve had a hell of a day.”

“Yeah. I killed two kids.”

“You lost two patients, Kylo. You did everything you could.”

“How do you know? The one you were in the room for _lived_.”

Hux sighed. “I am too tired to have this fight with you. Let’s go tell her parents the good news, and I’ll drive you home.”

Kylo nodded and followed him out of the room.

They went to the surgical waiting area, where they gave little Betty’s parents the news that she would be all right. When the parents asked about Betty’s grandmother, who had taken Betty to breakfast, Kylo admitted he didn’t know and slunk away.

He had only made it a few feet before he saw Jessika standing in the hall. He bit back a whimper as he walked to her. She opened her arms to embrace him, but had to adjust her aim when he went down on his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms around her hips and pressing his face to her stomach. 

She threaded her fingers through his hair, shushing him when she felt his tears soak her shirt. 

“I’ve got you,” she whispered.

Kylo kissed her stomach, then looked up at her. “Take me home.”  
*****

Hux directed Betty’s parents to the nurses’ station to find out about her grandmother, and suffered through the mother’s hug a final time. 

He was tired. He was _exhausted_. He needed to check up on his patients one last time before heading out. His attention was caught as he turned to go; Ren was standing at the elevator, leaning heavily against Jess, who was running a soothing hand over his spine. Hux stalled as a fierce punch of _want_ hit his chest. Not that he wanted Ren or Jess— _no, bad, wrong, back away, brain, you’re tired_ —but he wanted that kind of connection. 

“Konstantin?”

Hux turned to find Poe standing beside him, a concerned look on his face.

“Sorry, I tried using ‘Hux’, but you didn’t respond,” Poe explained.

“Did you come just for me?” 

Poe smiled. “Of course I did. I mean, I’ve been helping Jess out, but I came for you.”

“Dr. Hux, I need—oh, sorry,” Mitaka said.

“Mitaka, you need to page Dr. Kallus and tell him he’s responsible for my post-ops. I’m going to go sleep,” Hux said, without looking away from Poe.

“Right got it. Should I—”

“Go now, Mitaka.”

Poe reached out and took Hux’s hand. “Can I drive you home?”

“Come with me,” Hux replied, leading him away. 

Hux laced his fingers through Poe’s as he led the man down the stairwell to the next floor, where the nearest on-call room was. He found an empty on-call room and drew Poe inside with him. He closed and locked the door, then jammed a chair under the handle as an extra deterrent.

He turned to look at Poe, who was staring at him with a soft expression Hux couldn’t identify.

“You came for me,” Hux repeated, softly.

“Hux, has no one eve—” Poe cut himself off. “Oh, Kostya.”

Hux forcibly swallowed a whimper as he stepped forward to take Poe’s face in his hands. He pressed his mouth to Poe’s in a hungry, desperate kiss.

“Easy, easy,” Poe gasped against his mouth.

“Sorry, sorry,” Hux said, trying to regain his composure. “I—”

Poe smiled, sliding his hands up to cup Hux’s face in his hands. “I said ‘easy’, not ‘stop’.”

Hux stared at him with wonder, but only for a moment. His eyes closed as Poe kissed him; softly, gently, like Hux was something to be treasured and savored. Poe’s lips were firm and warm against his own, taking his breath away with gentle pressure. His tongue skimmed across Hux’s lower lip; Hux parted his lips on a moan, inviting Poe to take the kiss deeper.

Poe’s hands moved from Hux’s face, one cupping the back of his neck as the other gripped his hip, steering the taller man as he walked them toward the wall. Hux reached back with one hand to find the wall, not wanting to hit it hard and accidentally bite Poe. They’d been interrupted by exterior forces enough already; he didn’t want to be the reason this stopped. He didn’t want Poe’s mouth and hands on him to ever stop.

Hux carefully settled himself against the wall, spreading his legs slightly, making space for Poe to press comfortably against him. He was suddenly unsure of what to do with his hands; torn between burying them in Poe’s curls, or using them to remove the other man’s clothes. He finally settled them on Poe’s shoulders, pushing him back slightly.

“Okay?” Poe asked.

“I want,” he bit his lip, cutting himself off.

“What do you want?”

Hux took a deep breath and slid his hands down to take Poe’s hips in a firm grip. “I want to take you home with me. I want to take you home, and not let you out of my bed for at least a day. I want to spend hours learning what gives you pleasure. I want to curl around you and hear about your life. I want all of that. I want it in a way that I didn’t know I _could_ want things,” he said, and a part of his brain was horrified that all this was spilling out of him while Poe was _right here_ staring at him with those warm, loving eyes.

“Kostya,” Poe breathed.

“I want you, Poe. But, right now, I don’t know if I could stay awake long enough to make it worth your while.”

Poe’s eyes widened, and he lunged forward to take his mouth in a nearly-brutal kiss. Before Hux could comprehend what was happening, or engage in the kiss, Poe was stepping back from him.

“Hold that thought,” Poe said.

Hux was too shocked to form a response. Before he knew it, Poe had dropped to his knees, and was tugging Hux’s scrub pants and boxers down his thighs. Poe looked up at him, his eyebrow raised in question. Hux gaped; all he could do was nod frantically.

Poe smiled at him before laying a trail of wet kisses from the base of Hux’s cock to the tip.

“Jayzus,” Hux breathed. He lost the ability to form words at all when Poe took the tip of Hux’s cock in his mouth, coaxing him to a full erection within seconds with the wet heat of his mouth.

Poe looked up at him, and Hux didn’t know which was hotter: Poe’s gorgeous lips stretched around his cock, or the sultry look in his eyes as he stared up at Hux. Then Poe did something with his tongue that made Hux arch in pleasure, banging his head on the wall.

“Poe. Damn, fuck, Poe! I’m so close…I can’t.”

Poe pressed his forearm across Hux’s hips, pinning him to the wall and making him just _take_ what he was doing to him with his lips and tongue.

“Please, please, Poe,” Hux gasped, his entire body tingling with arousal and want as Poe took him apart. He wanted to come; he was so close to coming that the edge he was holding onto was painful. At the same time, he wanted to feel this forever; this closeness, this sheer determination to bring him pleasure. And he wanted to give back; oh, how he wanted. But it was taking every ounce of control he had to hold onto himself; to hold onto his faculties, to be able to warn Poe.

“Poe, I’m—” his breath caught. He couldn’t form the words. He couldn’t. 

Poe used his free hand to caress Hux’s thigh, letting him know he understood. 

Light flared behind Hux’s eyelids as he came. He thought he might have managed to garble out Poe’s name and, perhaps, a prayer to the almighty. He bent his knees and slid slightly down the wall as aftershocks slammed through his body. 

He opened his eyes when he felt Poe pulling up his clothing, tucking him back into his boxers gently. He reached out and traced his fingers delicately over Poe’s cheekbone. Poe turned his head to kiss his fingers.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Hux whispered.

Poe stood up, drawing Hux into his arms. “Maybe I want things, too.”

Hux huffed a laugh against the warm skin of Poe’s throat. “If what you wanted was to reduce me to a trembling wreck, well done.”

Poe laughed, and helped steady Hux on his feet. He led him over to the sofa, settling them on it so Hux could lie with his head in Poe’s lap.

“I watched you today, you know,” Poe said, running his fingers through Hux’s hair.

“Hmm?” Hux replied.

“I saw you come out and give people either good news, or the worst news they’ll ever hear. You were amazing.”

“If you think that’s good, you should see me with a scalpel in my hand.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Hux smiled. He grabbed Poe’s hand and pulled it down to kiss his palm. “I could stay like this for days.”

Poe snorted. “This couch is ridiculously uncomfortable. You’ll be in pain for days if you sleep on it.”

Hux sighed. “You’re right. I should check on Techie, and then go home. Millicent is probably furious with me.”

“Millicent?”

“My cat. She’s incredibly affectionate; when she’s not trying to kill me.”

“I checked on Techie earlier today. He was worried about you and Matt. However, he was keeping close tabs on the pair of you, via the hospital’s internal systems. He texted me a little while ago to let me know that Matt had returned to his side.”

Hux laughed. “Oh, that boy. I’ll have words with him later.”

“Later, huh?”

Hux opened his eyes so he could roll them at Poe. “I could use a good night’s sleep before dealing with my brother and his romantic escapades.” He kissed Poe’s knuckles. “Take me home.”

Poe smiled and leaned down to kiss him. It was an awkward angle, and Hux laughed into his mouth.

“Shut up, or I’m letting you take a cab home,” Poe said.

Hux chuckled. “Come on, let’s go get my keys,” he said, sitting up slowly.

Poe followed him. “Am I taking you to your home or mine?”

“Mine,” Hux replied, removing the chair from the door. He turned and took Poe’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “But I’d really like you to stay with me.”

Poe stepped forward and kissed him. “Then I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was saying to myself, "Finally, some smut! There's oral sex." And my brain went, "Yes, yes, the oral sex!" And if you get that reference, I kinda love you.

**Author's Note:**

> Rating will go up as these two work themselves out.
> 
> Everything I know about medicine and hospitals comes from friends I had in college, _M*A*S*H, Grey's Anatomy,_ and _ER_.


End file.
